Isle of the Amazons
by onwingsofsnark
Summary: Lilka was an Amazon, a legendary woman fighter. Brian was a sailor on a ship. Little does Lilka know, a whole new adventure awaits her in the land of Calain. A fantasy story of idle bets, indentured servants, jealousy, death and... love.
1. Lilka

**Nixiesocean: Hullo. I'm not sure if this belongs in Greek Myth or Fairy Tales. I include the Amazons, Greek Myth- Women Warriors. Yet, it doesn't include anything else Greek. I'm going with the safer bet and going for Fairy Tales. If you think otherwise, send me a PM. Don't use a review solely for that purpose, if you would like to review for my story, by all means do so. If you just feel like pointing out why this should be in Greek Myth, send me a message, I'll respond ASAP. Okay, enough babble from the freaky writer.**

**For ease of understanding, _Fr'ain_ is the language and the people. You'll understand whilst you read.**

**PS, If I slip OOC for Lilka (the main char) bear with me. I'm trying something radically different. :) k? Buh-bye. Read and Reivew please!**

_Chapter 1: Lilka_

I am a maiden. I have auburn hair and light blue eyes. My arms are built and I am well tanned. I wear the typical Amazon garb: white tunic with a brown rope tying it close to my waist. I wore breeches sewn by the local tailor on this desolate isle with only my fellow Amazons for company. I was content where I was, being totally ignorant of any outside world. The only thing that I loved was my reigning hold on archery. I _have_ to let the Amazon Queen, Hippolyta, win every so often or she'll get angry. But don't tell her that, she'll send me away.

My ignorance of any world outside the isle I lived on wouldn't go on much longer. I was naïve. I thought everyone was as honest as my comrades and fellow friends. I thought the world consisted of three tournaments: Archery, Arms and Footraces. I was always in the top three of each. I was the best at Archery. I say this not to brag but to set the scene.

So, here I am, sitting on a rock looking out across The Endless Blue as I had dubbed it. The other Amazons called it _S'lanki e S'tanoe_, or One Which Carries Strangers. We were taught the language of the _Fr'ain_ (The Ones Who Come). We never spoke it except in class. It was forbidden. We only knew such a traitorous language to trade.

I never knew the meaning of the word. I had never met outsiders, not in the eighteen years I have lived. Sailors rarely pass this area. The rocks the outline our Isle destroy many a ship unless you know how to enter. There is one place where the water is deep enough, where the current is slow enough that one can pass unharmed.

Such a passage is available every eighteen years. I had deduced at a young age that I had been born on such a year. Yet, if men never came, how did I get to be here? Did the Great Warrior Goddess drop be off to the Amazons and I was raised here? Such questions floated in my head for years until this day. I have been too scared to ask Queen Hippolyta. She may seem all nice and cheerful in those stories you all tell, but she isn't made of sugar and spice. She is a just ruler, as many Amazon Queens have been, but she's just that, a Queen.

Back to my story, as I was watching _S'lanki e S'tanoe_ I saw a large ship cross the secret passage. It easily dodged the treacherous rocks and missed the iron spears Ancient Amazons had placed there. The wind blew hard into its sails and it landed at our neglected docks. I ran, nay _sprinted_, to the Queen's Chambers to inform the Queen about the _Fr'ain_ that had come to trade. I ran past the Amazon Guards, quickly saying that I had important news. They let me pass, knowing I was the Archery Mistress, the one who is the best at Archery that year. I burst into the Queen's Chambers. She sat at her desk, quietly drawing.

"My Queen!" I said, breathless.

"Lilka, Archery Mistress." She greeted me with grace and elegance I could never hope to master. "What brings you here, breathless and sweaty?"

"My Queen, _Fr'ain_ have docked. The spears did not deter them." I said. I was giddy. _Fr'ain_ were legendary for the stupidity and thick-headedness for thinking we could not best them at whatever they chose (most often Arms). They also were terrible traders. Absolutely dreadful. We always came out on top because of their idiocy.

"Thank you, Lilka. Ring the silver bell on the temple of The Great Warrior Goddess." She ordered. I did a bow/curtsy and left. I, again, sprinted to the temple of The Great Warrior Goddess and up to the back of the temple. There, I found a wooden staircase and quickly climbed them.

_At this rate,_ I thought to myself, _I'll be the Footrace Mistress next year!_ I was breathing heavily but kept climbing. At the top there was a room covered in dust. I saw a small set of footprints and stepped on them. They fit my feet perfectly. I walked over to the dust-covered bell. A rope hung limp under it, I grabbed the rope and yanked hard. The dust on it shook off and I could see tiny engraving. In my native language, it read _Rung once but every eighteen years. Rung but once by a woman. Rung but once by the Queen._ I'll admit it right here and right now. I was curious. Why only every eighteen years? Then it dawned on me. It was rung when _Fr'ain_ came to the Isle.

I was giddy. What would the _Fr'ain_ bring to trade? When I thought about it, the only thing we could trade would be the cloth that was taken from the sheep. I looked out over the balcony. Women had come from everywhere. They were starting to swarm the docks. The older women had smiles, almost like they were happy. The younger women, about my age, were confused.

I joined my friend, Kayla. She had blonde hair and brown eyes. We talked about the _Fr'ain._ When we reached the dock, Kayla and I were in front. There, I saw the oddest creatures that have walked this earth. They had bulkier bodies than any woman. They stood taller than any woman I had met. They had hard and weather bodies, unlike our well-tanned bodies. Not even the Red heads burn.

"What are _they_?" I whispered to Kayla.

"I don't know." She replied. There was one of those older women next to us. She obviously had overheard our questions.

"They're _men_." She said the pronoun so reverently that we wondered what Men could do to us.

"What is men?" I asked. They had never been studied in our classes.

"A man is the opposite of a woman." The older woman, Elena, said to us, as it in explanation. "And this is the best day for you two." She said giddily. She looked around. "Where did Kayla go?"

I looked around. I shrugged. "Why?" I told you I was naïve, didn't I?

"Oh," She seemed unembarrassed about such a topic. "How do think we populate our Isle?" She asked, grinning broadly.

"The Great Warrior Goddess-" I started.

"Brought you to the Isle. Don't worry, I believed that too eighteen years ago. No, every eighteen years _Fr'ain_ come to the Isle. We are ready here to greet them." She explained. "As you know, the only thing we have to trade is our cloth. We found out a while ago that this is not what the _Fr'ain_ want. They had traveled weeks aboard the sea. We were a welcoming Isle to them. So, we provided the service they desired. In return-"

"But- what if you get pregnant?" I was horrified! How would we fight while with child? How would we hold our Tournaments if everyone was with child?

"My dear, that is the idea!" She said, barely avoiding bursting aloud from laughing. "You yourself were made that way!" My eyes were about a mile wide right now.

"But…" I touched my stomach. I didn't wish to stoop to such a low level! "I don't wish to be pregnant…" I trailed off.

At this Elena put her arm on my arm. "My dear, that is your duty. We can only bear children twice. After that, well, we're just too old. It's now or wait another eighteen years."

"What if I left here on that ship?" I asked, now giddy about leaving the Isle. "What if I left to see the world?"

At that, Elena blanched. Then she got angered. "If you were born here, you die here. That is the way it has been for a long time. Longer than you were even a thought in a mother's mind." She threatened, and then backed away. By this time, Queen Hippolyta had made it to the Captain-Man.

"Welcome to the Isle of the Amazons. What have to trade?" She asked in _Fr'ain_

Then, the Captain-Man did something no one had done before. "My Lady Queen," He responded in our native language. "I have many a thing to trade. The men and I know what you offer, we have read the fables." He did a sign of respect to the Queen. "Anything you name, we have to trade."

The Queen smiled. "Ladies, what do we need?" She asked us.

We responded in our language. "My Lady Queen. We _need_ nothing. My Lady Queen would look nice in silver or jewels."

She smiled again. "Captain? You have silver or jewels?"

"I do, my Lady Queen." He said.

She nodded. "Enough of this drabble. We will have a party. Then, my Captain, your men may choose a woman for tonight." We had the "party" the Queen talked about. Afterwards, the Captain nodded to the men. We all stood in a line, me trying not to be seen. I didn't want to be chosen. I didn't want to take part in this. The twenty or so men passed over the line, eyeing each of us up.

Finally, one stopped in front of me. I expected him to be ugly. His skin to be salt-worn, have two teeth and foul breath. Instead, I came eye-to-eye with a man my age. My auburn hair fell in strands around my face. His once-black hair was bleached to a lighter brown and his almond-colored eyes looked at my face.

"This one," He called to the captain, thinking I couldn't understand him.

"Sir." I said in _Fr'ain_. "My name is Lilka." I tried to muster enough courage to tell him I wasn't '_this one'_. But I bit my tongue back.

He looked back at me. "You- you know Common?" He seemed startled.

"Yes, sir. I know _Fr'ain._" I said, referring to this 'Common' as my native name for it. "You came across the _S'lanki e S'tanoe_. Here you are, referring to me as 'this one'. Yet, I tell you I am Lilka, the Archery Mistress."

He was stunned. "A m-mistress?" He took a step back. "Maybe a different one…"

I was confused. Why was he looking at me funny? "Sir, as Archery Mistress, I won the Archery Tournament this year." I explained. He seemed to relax.

"Will you join me tonight?" He asked quietly.

"I wish not to be in your bed." I said, keeping my voice polite. "But if it is company you want, I will talk."

He relaxed. "Show me when I am to sleep," he said. "And you may talk with me tonight."

I led him to the Guest Quarters, which were kept in good shape, even if no one was using them. We were only slightly obsessed with keeping things in good shape. That fact took my mind away, why, then, was the Bell is such a desolate shape?

I opened a door. "Here." I told him, pointing to the four-poster bed. He smiled at me and allowed me to enter.

"My lady," he said. "You may enter my quarters." Something nagged in my mind, but I shooed it away. He sat on the bed and I pulled up a chair.

"What is your name?" I asked him.

"Brian, Lilka." The sailor responded. When I opened my mouth to ask another question, he shook his head. "My turn. Why do you look at me like I'm poison?"

"I do not wish to be with child, unlike my fellow Amazons. I want to be off this Isle." I was used to being honest. "Why didn't you care that I don't wish to share your bed?"

He thought about it for a second, then responded. "I'll be honest, like you were to me. I didn't want to. I don't have any desire to take place in such dissolute actions. I chose you because you looked at me with fear. He other women looked eager." He shook his head. "They wouldn't understand why."

I was curious, damn my curiosity. "Why? Why don't you?"

"I don't know. The other sailors talk about all the women they had met. It just never felt quite right to me. That and," He smiled. "I was taught to respect a woman's wishes." Brian ended.

I smiled. I knew he wouldn't try anything so rude as to make me go against my will. I reached behind me and into a drawer (I had cleaned this room, so I knew where everything was) and drew out a small board with little stones. "Do you know how to play _Pui e Pui_?"

"Phwey ee phwey?" I winced at his pronunciation.

"_Pui e Pui_," I corrected. "A game of thought and strategy." I set the board on the bed and separated the white stones and the black stones. I opened the board of alternating black and white and laid it flat. Then, I set the black stones on the white squares and the black stones on the white squares. The three rows of black stones faced the three rows of white stones. "Black or white?" I asked Brian.

"White." He said, adjusting himself so he could play the white side properly. I moved the board so I could sit on the bed. "How do we play?"

"White starts, so I'll explain as best I can. We move our stones forward until their squares touch. When they do, you have the option of moving around, or jumping the one of my stones. When you do, you claim the stone and put it in your stone stack. Whoever has more stones when we're done wins.

"Now, if I make it to one of the black squares bordering your side, I can reclaim a lost stone. Same with your white squares on my side. When one us runs out of stones on the board, we count the stones we have in our possession. Got it?" I asked him.

"So, it's like Checkers?" He asked, looking at the board.

"I wouldn't know, I don't know what Checkers is." I told him. He shrugged and started. By the time the game ended, we were laughing and joking like old friends. I listened quietly to the tolling of the Temple bells. I deduced it was around the middle of the night. "It's about the middle of the night."

He yawned. "That was a long game." He said through yet another yawn. "Who won?" I looked at the stack of stones. Twelve to twelve.

"It's a tie." I said, surprised. "You're lucky, I've always won at _Pui e Pui_."

He winked. "Maybe I'm just that good!" Another yawn escaped his mouth. "Wow, I'm tired!"

"We should stay up. The other women would be offended if I was active tomorrow." I said.

"Why? Because you have a duty to populate the Isle?" He asked, barely containing a smile.

"Yes. The problem is that the other women want to do this 'duty' with a man, since it comes every eighteen years." I explained. "Therefore you…"

"Will be with a different woman tomorrow, I see. Why can't you come tomorrow again?" He seemed confused by our customs.

"Because then you would have to stay longer than the Queen wishes. She probably has figured how long it will take us to each have a night with a man." I explained. "That and the other women would think I was taking more than my rightful share." I smiled. "Though, the Queen gets the Captain every night you are here." I said with a smile.

He laughed. "He'll like that, Captain Jamison will." _Captain Jamison_. I committed the name into my memory for later use. Someone knocked on the door that joined the next room over. "Brian, why are you still talking?" A gruffer voice called. "Get 'er in bed!"

He shrugged at me. "I'm getting ready, Clyde. You having fun?" He asked in a sailor's cheery voice.

"Sure am! I'll talk to you-" I heard a thump and some gross noises from the other side of the adjoining door.

He shrugged again. I backed off the bed, suspicious of this two-faced man. "Lilka, I told you, I'm not interested."

"I- I have to go." I stuttered and quickly left through the door that led to the hall. Brian poked his head out the door, a confused look on his face. I ran to the Dormitories and into my room I shared with Kayla. I closed the door softly behind me.

"Lilka? Why are you here? Don't you have a man to entertain?" A familiar voice called. I shucked my outfit and got into my nightclothes.

"Yes." I said. What would Brian say if I told her he didn't want to share his bed? I shook his face from my head. "I left." I said crawling into the four-poster bed I was given. "Where were you today?" I asked, deftly changing the subject.

"Lilka, don't change the subject." Her form came running from her ajoining room and jumped on my bed. "How did it feel?"

"What?" I didn't know what she was talking about. Once again, I was naïve.

"To lose your virginity!" She squeaked.

"I didn't."

"You _what_?" She screeched. "You _didn't_?"

I sighed. "Brian didn't want it, neither do I." I said flatly.

"You _didn't want it_?" She yelled.

"No, Kayla. I am fine without a child!" I said harshly. "I am going to leave with the boat!" Before I could think about the result of such a rash decision, she stormed out of the rooms we shared. I followed her down the hall, past the Guest Quarters and to the Queen's Quarters. She passed the Amazon Guards (who never looked twice) and knocked hard on the door. Whispers were heard behind it by us and the Queen opened the door. She was cross.

"_What_ are you two _doing_ here at _this hour_?" She hissed. She had a towel wrapped around her body.

Kayla spoke first. "Lilka didn't continue through the agreement. She now wants to leave the Isle with the ship!" When the Queen looked at Kayla, she added, "My Lady Queen."

"Is this true, Lilka, Archery Mistress?" She asked with a cold stare.

"It is, my Queen." I said, not meeting her eyes. "Brian didn't want it either, Queen Hippolyta."

"We cannot let this go on. Kayla, Footrace Mistress, go to this Brian's room and seduce him. Lilka, Archery Mistress, go to the Beach of _S'lanki e S'tanoe_. I was you to take a bucket with you. I want two hundred grains of sand tomorrow morning. I nodded in submission. I went to the kitchens and grabbed a bucket. When I passed the Guest Quarters, I heard talking in Brian's room. I stopped to listen.

_"Hello, Brian." – "Hello, who may you be?" – "My friends call my Kayla. You can call me Kay." – "It is nice to meet you, Kayla." – "Like I said, call me Kay." – "I like your full name better." – (a giggle) – "Oh, thank you, Brian." – (pause) – "So, uh, why did you come?" – "Oh, I thought it better to know the men I'll be serving," – (another giggle) – "You're a Kitchen Aide?" – "Oh no, I'm the Footrace Mistress." – (pause) – "Lilka, stop listening." – "Lilka? She was here earlier." – "Oh, I know. She is a _betrayer_."_ I stepped back. I had thought Kayla my friend. Yet, she would stop at nothing to get his bed. Tears stained my cheeks, but I went out to the Beach and started my punishment. I lost count at one hundred and one. Tears made the sand stick together. I fell asleep on the beach, approximating two hundred grains.

"Lilka?" A voice asked. It was distinctly male. "Hey, wake up." Sand was stuck in my hair. I opened my eyes. I didn't even look for the voice. When I felt around for my bucket, all I felt was sand, all around me. I screamed.

"Where is it? I needed that bucket!" I stood and dusted my nightclothes off. I looked around for it. I saw Brian's bare feet. "Why are you here?" I asked. "I got in trouble for last night." I looked around, spotting the bucket off in the distance.

"Look, I'm sorry about last night." He apologized. "A girl named Kayla came after you left last night."

"I know. I was outside your door." I said. "I pass it on the way from the kitchens to the Beach. "I heard her call me a betrayer." I informed the male.

"Anything after that?" He asked, peering into my eyes with his almond orbs.

"No, I left. I'm sure you had a nice night." I said, breaking his hold on me. I was stronger than I looked. I picked up my bucket and tried to walk away, but I heard his soft padding behind me.

"See, that's the thing, Lilka. I sent her away." His voice said. "She never even got near my bed." I turned around. He saw my hurt eyes. "Why do you care so much?"

"Brian, let me give you a riddle. It will answer your question.

_You can have me but cannot hold me; _

_Gain me and quickly lose _me_. _

_If treated with care I can be great, _

_And if betrayed I will break._

_What am I?_" I saw his puzzled face. A thought dawned on him.

"Trust. You trust me?" I nodded, tears staining my cheeks. I turned away.

"I have to go, Brian. I have to give this to the Queen." I said over my shoulder.

"Captain Jamison is cutting our visit short after he overheard you, your friend and Queen Hippolyta." He said. "We're leaving tonight." I kept walking. "I want you to come with us, Lilka. I can get you on the boat." I felt his hand touch my hand. "Will you? I know you want to leave. This is your chance."

"I'll try, Brian. I really will." I said and turned away from his face.

"Say you will come, Lilka. Please."

"I will come Brian. But right now I have to leave." I reminded him. He let my hand fall to my side.

"Say nothing to Captain Jamison, we need to smuggle you into one of the empty crates." He cautioned me. I nodded my head and continued on my way. I dropped the bucket outside the Queen's Chambers. I left to go to the Hot Springs. There, all the women looked at me with a snooty expression. I heard whispers.

_"Betrayer…"_

_"Coward…"_

_"Ungrateful…"_

_"Goody two-shoes…"_

_"Queen's Pet…"_

_"_Fr'ain_…"_

With that last insult. I turned to the woman, a red head with freckles covering her face. "If anyone is a _Fr'ain_, it is you, Perdita! Lost woman indeed! Throwing such an insult because I met a man that doesn't want me for my body! You know what? I think you're jealous, Dita, that I was picked first-day and you were not!" I said ending with a spit in her face.

"How- how dare you!" She yelled. "I was Arms Mistress three years in a row!"

"And I have been Archery Mistress since I could _handle_ a bow!" I retorted. I smiled. "Say it."

She hung her head. "_Touché,_"

"That's it, Perdita." I said, patting her back. She glared at me.

"Just because you bested me at a word fight does not prove your superiority." She lashed back.

"Only for now." I said, stripping my clothes and sliding into the Hot Spring and swam a bit under the water. _Today,_ I told myself, _this is strictly for usage. I won't stay longer than necessary by these gossiping birds._ I dried my hair and re-braided it. I redressed and left. By this time, it was near High Noon.

**Nixiesocean: Those two days had to pass quickly. BTW, if you think I left out one attribute that physically differentiates men from women, PM me.**

**Okay, I think I'm done. BTW go to if you want to know where I got my names and what they mean. The meaning of names coincides with their personality.**

**Oh, and I forgot this at the top:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the idea of an island of Amazons or the character Hippolyta.**

**Claimer: I do own the names of things, Brian, Lilka, Kayla and anyone/anything you don't know!**

**Thank you and review please!**


	2. Pui e Pui

**Nixiesocean: So, apparently this story isn't that enticing. Man! I wanted this to be a favorite. My first chapter had 19 reads and no reviews. Even if it's to say 'Good Job, I like insert character name here .' Please review? It'll take like 2 seconds! I would give you puppy-dog eyes, but I doubt that you will be affected over the Internet.**

**So, if you don't review and tell me _someone_ likes this story, I'll just put it on hiatus or take it out all together and give it to my friend to read.**

**Thank you for reading my pleads. Onto chapter 2.**

_Chapter 2: _Pui e Pui

I ran off to my room (being that it wasn't my week for any duty, how lucky for me) to pack up my clothes. I had to be discreet. If Kayla or anyone were to find me packing, they would tie me to a tree and watch the ship sail away, along with my hopes of freedom. My weapons (like every Amazon) were on my belt and back. This way, if someone declared a challenge, it could be fought there and then.

I pulled out a small silver chain. It was said my mother gave it to me before dying, though I don't remember her. The other women became my mothers. I looked at my temporary room. I knew that when the twenty or so new Amazons were born, they would take these rooms, but I needn't worry about that, being that I was leaving tonight.

"Lilka, the Queen requests you to come. We are to watch the ship leave. They wanted to leave early to get a head start on the tide." Kayla's voice called through their joint door. "Come on! What _is_ taking you so darn long?" I shoved the last of my items into my small knapsack and walked out the door. "Why do you have clothes with you?"

"I'm-" I had never lied before. I couldn't start now. "It's not your business what I am doing, being that I am a _betrayer_." I said icily. I turned and took a sprint down the slope to _S'lanki e S'tanoe_. In my moment of joy, I remember a tinsy little fact. Kayla was the Footrace Mistress. She easily caught up. She smiled at me until I realized another fact: I was not on the road, she was. I tried to get back on the road so I wouldn't trip on a rock or twig, but she kept me on the turf. Finally, I mustered enough courage to speed up and go in front of her. I suddenly stopped, knocking her head into my back and falling.

I kept running to the Beach of _S'lanki e S'tanoe._ I went to the harbor, still running. Mind you, our Footraces were miles long. Not these little sprints. I saw the boat slowly pulling out of the harbor. I broke through the wall of women waving and crying. I put on a burst of speed and called out to Brian. He appeared at the end of the boat. I reached the edge of the harbor and did the most nonsensical thing I had ever done. I jumped.

I was flying through the air when I slammed into the boat's side and felt two strong arms pull me up over the railing. My sides were heaving and my knapsack was coming undone. My head ached from the heavy running (normally we paced ourselves during Footraces). I saw Brian's almond eyes showing concern and I smiled.

"I'm fine." I said in _Fr'ain_. "Why did you leave early? It's only slightly past High Noon."

"My lady," The Captain Jamison said to me. "We were told to leave unannounced for exactly this reason." The crewmembers were looking at me with hunger and distrust. "Get to work, you scallywags!" He yelled to the other sailors. He gave Brian one last look, then my friend left to attend to the ship. "We don't have any spare rooms for you, miss. I could make room for you in the hull, but I fear that would be majorily uncomfortable."

"I'll sleep on the deck, if I may?" I asked him in _Fr'ain_.

"You may," He responded in my language. "What is your name, Amazon?"

"Lilka." I said, dropping my title. After all, I wasn't part of that Isle any longer.

"Ah," He said. "Lilka, Archery Mistress. I have heard of you. The Queen spoke to you last night."

"She did, Captain Jamison. Please, my name only. I am no longer part of that dreaded Isle." I said seriously.

"You really wanted to leave, didn't you?"

"I did, sir." I replied.

"Good. You'll be the deckboy." He looked around. "Er, deckwoman." He pointed to a brush and bucket. "Lower the bucket on the rope near the bucket. You'll find soap next to the Crew's Quarters. You need to scrub the deck if you want to buy your passage." He looked at me, still sitting on the deck. "Unless, you have another way of paying?" He asked. He looked indifferent, but the nearest crewmembers overheard him and smiled at me.

"No, sir. I'll get right to that deck." I responded, glaring at the leering crewmembers. I walked over to the area where he pointed out a bucket and brush. When I walked near the Crew's Quarters I felt someone pull me into the room and close the door.

"Hello, dearie." A gruff voice said. I tried to speak, but his hand was over my mouth. I tried to bite his hand, but he kept my mouth shut. "Now, now. Don't worry your pretty little head. I'll let go soon enough." I felt him twist. "Jeb, get the gag and rope." I realized what they planned to do. Jeb left the room leaving my captor and I in the same room. I turned so I was face to face with him. I brought my knee in connection with his manly part. He let go and rolled on the floor, reeling from the pain of a hard kick. I smiled; I was no ordinary woman. I opened the door and came face-to-face with Brian.

I grinned. "No problems here, sir." I said cheerily. He looked past me at saw the man still on the ground. "We came to an understanding." I brushed past Brian and went to go get the soap. There, Jeb was getting rope, oblivious to my entry. "Were you getting that rope for me, Jeb?" I asked sweetly. He turned and looked horrified.

"You–you're–Clyde–" He stuttered.

"Oh, you silly! You _seriously_ didn't think I could get out of a situation like that?" I batted his shoulder playfully. "You're a dunce." I ended bluntly. "Get back to work." I kicked his butt, knocking him to the floor. I grabbed the soap and skipped out of the room.

Brian saw me leave the room and walked next to me. "Were they going to do what I think they were going to do?" He asked, eyes once again showing concern.

"I believe so. No fears for me, though. They now know not to mess with me. I can take care of myself, Brian." I patted his back and left to go scrub the deck. From what I saw, it hadn't been cleaned for years. I got the saltwater and added a half-bar of the soap. When I put my hands in, I realized the soap was lye, a strong, stinging soap. I felt the pain from the soap soak into my knuckles. I drew out the brush and started scrubbing the floor – _deck_ – I reminded myself.

I saw bare feet come across my vision and stop in front of me. "That was a nice stunt you pulled, little lady. Next time Brian won't be there to save you." The feet walked away. I laughed at myself. _Brian_ saved me? Hah! I laugh at the impossibilities. I took care of him all by myself. I sighed as I saw another pair of feet.

"I hope you know the mess you're getting yourself into, woman." Jeb's voice said to me. "You'll wake up one morning and your little protector won't be there." I laughed again.

Why did they both think that Brian had saved me? I had taken care of both men myself. I was perfectly fine without him. I shook my head. Without him, I would've never wanted to leave. He showed me kindness among these hormone-driven sailors. When I looked around, I saw Brian talking and pointing at each man, telling them something. When they walked away, they each went to their respective stations. I realized then, that Brian had a portion of authority on this ship.

He saw me looking at him and came over. "The two men that tried to, ahem, force you into their bed have been taken care of. They are to clean the portholes and make them shine." He told me. I nodded and kept working. "Are you okay?" I nodded again, still scrubbing with that dreadful lye. "Lilka, the captain said you wanted to sleep on the deck, am I right?' I nodded. I didn't want to be anywhere near those men. "You can't." He said simply. I looked up, startled. "Just because it's dark doesn't mean the men won't try anything immoral." He squatted down to be eye-level with me. "The captain knows me and the crew knows me. If you want to be assured that nothing immoral will happen to you, you may sleep on the floor in my room. I've told you once and I'll tell you again, I'm not like these sailors."

With that said, he left. I thought about our conversation. He had protected me in an off-hand way. He had sent the sailors to do the grubbiest, grimiest duties. I looked up in time to see him walk up the out-of-doors stairs to talk with the captain. I looked at his bare feet and saw traces of how the Queen walked, that sort of air of arrogance. I realized that none of the men, maybe even the captain, knew of this disguise that Brian held. I wondered how many lies he had told me to keep his cover.

I kept scrubbing until night. Brian came over with a lantern to the night watch. He spoke to them in an undertone. Then came over to me, with my auburn hair falling out of my plaits and my face covered in sweat.

"If you want, Lilka, my room is the third one down." He told me in a light, airy voice. I decided that I would go. Not because he wanted me to, but because I wanted an answer or two. I put my bucket where I found it and surveyed the work I had accomplished. Almost half the deck was nice and clean. I leaned over the side to catch some saltwater on my face to wash off the sweat. I took up my knapsack and walked to the third door down. The first and second I knew from earlier, so I went to the next one down. His door. I knocked lightly and heard a faint 'Come in'. I walked in, keeping my head down. I saw him come over. "Keep your head up, Lilka. Don't show submission."

"Why?" I asked. "You are some branch of royalty. Why not show submission to someone above my station?" I looked up to see his look of surprise. I wish I hadn't looked up. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have seen his well-muscled chest nor his lean frame.

"How- how did you know?" He asked, obviously taken aback. He seemed unperturbed that I had seen his chest. I had to admit, even to myself, that he was good looking. It wasn't like I wanted him, out of lust. I just had to admit that if I wanted a man in my life, he would be a good one.

"You betrayed yourself when you went t speak with the captain." I explained. "You walk like Queen Hippolyta, with that air of arrogance." I said. I looked down again, even to look away from his body.

"Since you figured it out, I command you to not look down." He said. I looked up, commanded by royalty. Once again, I tried to look away from his handsome body. His hand touched my face. "If you're s uncomfortable, just say so." His hands left my cheeks, and where they had been I felt a stinging sensation. I saw him put a shirt over his chest and come back over. "Better?"

"Yes." I answered, knowing that a simple nod would only make him angry. "I brought my own board of _Pui e Pui_ if you want to play." I said. Part of me, the more womanly side, told me to be dismayed that he had put on a shirt. The other part, the sensible side, said he was royalty and therefore off-limits. And besides, I didn't want a relationship, did I? I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

"I'll teach you Checkers." He said playfully. He brought out a board with red and black tiles. He carefully set them down, on the exact opposite of the color of the checker. He explained how to play.

"This is exactly like _Pui e Pui_." I commented. "No wonder. We- they must've gotten it from sailors and renamed it." I reasoned. He nodded in agreement. We played a few games of _Pui e Pui_ or Checkers, depending on whom you were. When a yawn escaped both our mouths Brian suggested we both go to bed. I agreed at got out my blankets and laid them on the hard floorboards, right in front of the door.

Brian saw me and laughed. "Lilka, we aren't under attack. You can sleep away from the door."

"If you are royalty, then I have to protect you. This was my week for guard duty. Hippolyta dismissed the guard duty when I told her of your approach." I explained. "Therefore, I must protect you, by way of keeping with tradition."

He sighed and relinquished. "Fine, have it your way." He said.

"Thank you." I shut my eyes and fell into my light sleep.


	3. A Challenge

**Nixiesocean: Hullo again. Thank you to all who reviewed!**

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**_Lilyflowr33_: I'm glad you like Lilka. Have no fear, you'll like her more when they reach shore. I'm glad you think it's good. I thought about this one night before going to bed. It took me forever to get Lilka's name right. Check if you want to know what it means.**

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**Now, onto the real reason we are here! The story!**

_Chapter 3: A Challenge_

"He's protecting her, Clyde." I heard whispered outside the door.

"All the more reason to go in, Jeb. We'll catch them when they're weak and tell the captain!" Clyde whispered. "We'll convince him that Brian isn't fit for his position. We need to go in, _now_!" I silently moved around the room, gathering my weapons. I hid behind the door. It opened to admit both men. "Where is she?"

I stepped out from behind the door. "Ah, _Fr'ain._" I said. "Curiosity killed the cat." I repeated an old _Fr'ain_ saying. "How was your attempt to find Brian and I committing immoral and elicit actions? After all, you can see my bedroll right there by the door." At this, Brian was waking.

"Clyde and Jeb." He said though yawns. "How _could_ I have guessed?" He saw me, weapons out and dressed fully as an Amazon. "Lilka, put your sword and dagger away. I'm sure we can come to a peaceful understanding." Reluctantly, I sheathed my weapons.

"They were here attempting to prove dissolute actions on our part, Brian." I explained.

"I guessed that, Lilka. What do you two have to say for yourselves?" The first mate asked the two crewmen.

"N-nothing, sir." Jeb stammered. "Your Amazon speaks truly."

Clyde nudged this partner-in-crime. "Shut up, you!" To Brian, he spoke in a jaunty tone. "Sir, we only wanted to make sure you were fit for you position, you know, as Captain Jamison's favorite."

"Well, as you can see, there is nothing interesting going on. Go _back_ to bed or keep cleaning those portholes. I'll be inspecting them _tomorrow night_." Brian snapped, now irritated.

They nodded sourly and left. I looked at Brian. "They want to take you from your position of higher authority." I said to him.

"And have been trying ever since I was promoted." He informed me. "Get back to sleep, Lilka. You'll need it. After today, I doubt your deck will be nearly as spotless." He rolled over in his bed and went to sleep. I heard light snores from his area, confirming that he was truly asleep.

I undressed into my nightclothes and put the sword next to my bow. I slid the dagger under my pillow and fell into my watchful sleep.

_-Next Morning-_

A gong sounded inside my dream. It pierced the sleeping world where I resided when the sun was not shining. I got up without a sound and cleaned up my bedroll and changed before Brian was even awake. The early morning light didn't completely burn off the night-fog that had encased the ship, so it was slightly damp. I took out my sword and polished it, sharpening it. I checked my bow for any cracks, none, so it put it away. Lastly I sharpened and polished my dagger and sheathed it. I left the room while plaiting my hair. I threw the finished braid over my shoulder and got to work cleaning the deck. It was plain, even in this dim light, that I had done a good work. I fetched the soap and the brush. The bucked was already filled with rainwater, so I didn't bother getting salt-water. Before I used the fresh water, I took a drink. It soothed my stone-dry throat.

I put the lye in and started scrubbing where I had left off from the night before. I finished the deck easily, my hands and arms still sore.

I went up to Captain Jamison. "Sir, the deck is finished." I said.

"Good. If you would clean the ladders." It was more a statement than a question. I took my bucket with lye and rainwater and cleaned off the ladder. After the first one, I learned to clean from the top down; I kept slipping off.

It was dark again. I left the bucket and brush where I always had and cleaned off my face. My stomach rumbled. In Brian's room, near my things, was a meal. A round, orange fruit, a clay cup with water, dried meat and some hardened bread.

I ate everything except the fruit. The outside didn't taste all that good, so I had decided to wait until Brian came back to ask him about it. He came back shortly after I had changed into my nightclothes.

"What is this?" I asked him, holding out the fruit.

"An orange. You peel it," He took it and dug his finger in. Juice squirted out, but he just pulled the outside off. "Like this." He came to where there were bite marks. "Did you try and eat the rind?" He laughed. I gave him a confused look. "The outside."

"Yes… why?"

"You're not supposed to." He explained. He peeled apart pieces of the orange.

"Then why is it there?"

"To protect its treasure, the fruit." He handed the pieces to me. He took the orange-peels and threw them into a small basket. "Eat it." I ate. The fruit tasted _wonderful_! I ate it all, even licking the juices off my fingers and palm. "I'm guessing you liked it?"

"Yes. I _loved_ it!" I realized my hands were sticky still. I pulled out my canteen, which was in my knapsack, and washed my hands. "_Pui e Pui_ or Checkers?"

"I thought we decided they were the same." He said, sitting on his bed. I looked at him with an 'I know' look. "Fine, fine. How about your game."

"_Pui e Pui_?" I asked, amazed. "I would think you would like to play your _own_ game." I teased.

Those three weeks of my life were the best I ever had. I wasn't constricted to duels fought each day; I was constricted to the foul words of the women. I wasn't, in truth, acting like I should've. I should've put this man as far from me as bodily possible, yet I didn't. We were friends. In all my years on the Isle of the Amazons, I had never had such a true friend. Kayla had shown her true colors the night before I had left.

Although, with each passing day, the men looked at me more and more, not only Clyde and Jeb tried to grab me. More crewmembers tried. The captain seemed to turn a blind eye toward them, but Brian didn't. Each time, he was there, assigning grueling tasks for the offenders to do. They never seemed to learn how different I was from women they referred to as normal.

Finally, land was sighted. An hour or two later, we docked. The unloading of the cargo took another two hours. Finally, we were about to go. The captain called Brian to his quarters. I heard talking. I never truly listened in. Despite my curiosity, I allowed Brian his privacy. He came out. I trailed him, staying on his heels. I was aware that a few men were looking at me. I'm sure I was a sight. Dressed in a tunic and breeches armed with weapons.

"Lilka, you need to appear a friend, not a guard." He said after we were in his rooms. "Walk beside me, not on my heels."

"Okay." I agreed. When we left, I was casually next to him. We walked along the streets, heading toward a building at the end of the lane. He turned; taking a road that paralleled this palace. He entered through a small door on the edge of the street.

We went through a small corridor, and when he found a small door, stopped. He opened it and went through. He gestured me though. My first instinct was to gasp. These rooms were huge! Lavish décor covered the walls. Tapestries showed scenes from a great hunt. The four-poster bed was twice the size of the bed that he had occupied on the ship. I very nearly fainted. "These- these are yours?"

"Yes." He replied. "My mother will want you to sleep in the women's quarters." I looked at him. Then I grasped the reality. We would be separated for means of propriety. "I may be able to convince her to let you sleep in the spare room. Normally, for a woman, a handmaiden would sleep there. I guess in your case, though, you could sleep there."

Have I mentioned how nice he is? I agreed, moving my meager things into the adjoining room. It was nothing past extravagant. My bed, although smaller than Brian's, was still twice the size of my old one back on the Isle. The closet was empty, so I put my Amazon garb in it. The closet was still bare. I set my sandals on the bottom of the closet. I put all my things on the counter with a mirror, The Queen had one of these, and she called it a vanity. I set my bone brush and comb on the counter and set my ties inside a drawer.

I heard the door open. "_Hello_ Prince Brian!" A high-pitched voice said. I shivered at the voice.

"Hello Lady Sera. How have you been?" I heard him reply dryly.

"Simply _wonderful_! _Although_ it wasn't _nearly_ as much _fun_ as when _you_ are _here_!" She said, accentuating nearly ever other word. I sighed. Lady Sera's back was to me, so it gave me the opportunity to ask Brian if he wanted me to come out, silently of course.

The more I thought about it, the less I thought of the idea. Not that I cared what Lady Sera thought, moreover what Brian would think. How would he introduce me? Unfortunately, my prince-friend decided for me. "I'm sure it wasn't. Oh, Lilka." He said, pointing at me. I came from around my hiding spot. Lady Sera turned to see me, a woman in breeches and a tunic, stride from behind the wall. Her blonde hair flew as she turned her wide chocolate-brown eyes onto me. They narrowed. "This is Lady Sera, Lilka." I came out and bowed. She looked at me with a critical eye.

"Who is she?" Lady Sera asked Brian. All trace of a ditsy blonde was gone. No, here was a calculating woman. "A servant of yours I suppose?"

"Yes, my lady." I jumped in. "A servant of Prince Brian." I said in perfect _Fr'ain_. I supposed it was simpler to speak in her language than pretend not to understand.

"Then _why_, my lord, is she not in the servant's wing?" Lady Sera asked him, though the question was more directed at me.

"My Lady Sera, I am, well, not _strictly_ a servant. More of an honor guard you might say." I said, barely containing a smile. Brian had nearly choked.

"An honor guard? Prince Brian, do you not have _normal_ guards for this reason?" She asked, her eyes hiding a hint of triumph.

"I do, my lady." He said.

"Then _why_ is she an honor guard?" She asked, peering back at me.

"My lady, the prince and I made a bet. If one of his guards could best me at three things, then I would become his servant. Yet, if I won, then I became the only guard he would have followed him." I explained. Once again, Brian was taken by complete surprise. I ignored him. "We, my lady, were about to go settle this bet right now. I was merely putting my things into this spare room." I bowed. "If I may be excused?"

"You may." The prince said to Lady Sera's obvious despair. I left and went to go retrieve my weapons from my room. I expected to win. I heard them talking.

"My prince, do you expect that this ragtag foreign girl to best your men?" I heard the voice of Lady Sera say.

"No, but a bet's a bet." Obviously he had taken a liking to my quickly (and rashly, I might add) placed bet. I retuned.

"My lord," I said. "I have my weapons."

He nodded and we all three left. I trailed him like I had when we left the boat. I kept behind him. We left the palace, after a few gawking stares from the court lords. I held my head up high and didn't let anything bother me. We entered the training area for the guards of the palace, who lived in the nearby barracks. Lady Sera had excused herself long ago when she had spotted another court lady. I waited until Brian came back with a guard behind him. He was just barely taller than me, making him slightly taller than Brian himself. This man had a dark-blonde, light-brown, hair color and eyes that surveyed everything. They halted on me.

"My lord, is this the woman you spoke of? This scrawny thing?" I kept my mouth shut. I wasn't scrawny; I just wasn't hulking. I had muscled, but they were merely just well toned.

"Yes, Captain." He replied. This was another captain? Why wasn't he on the sea? "Lilka, this is the Captain of the guard, David."

"Hello, Captain David." I said politely in _Fr'ain_. "Have you come prepared?"

"Aye," He said, holding out a longer sword than mine and a larger bow than even the largest on our- their- Isle. "Which would the lady like to do first?"

"Of the three tasks, Footraces, Archery and Arms, I would like to do Arms." I chose the worst of the three to do first. I always seemed to place third in this one, though I wasn't terrible.

"Well, Captain David and Lilka, get into the sparring ring." Brian said. We climbed over the short fence and took our places. "On my signal, you may start." We waited. I squatted, holding my shorter sword low. I knew not to show any weaknesses. I kept my mind on beating this guard so we could move onto the next task, Footraces. "Go!" I stayed put, allowing the captain to close in on me. He charged, unlike most men, he didn't lift up the sword into the air, but kept it low to guard (ha, ha, not) his stomach. He closed in on me. I rolled out of the way, letting him run into the fence.

"Come on, _lady_, fight me!" He yelled. "Get off the ground and fight like a man!"

"I am no man!" At this, I had tumbled to face his back. He turned to block my sword. "I am an Amazon, and a good one at that!" His eyes surveyed my strengths and weaknesses. So far, he probably assumed that I did sneaky tricks, nothing bold or daring.

"Oh, so you are a _warrior-woman_! I thought as much!" I kept silently, focusing on my feet work and my sword work. "So, you are going to 'defeat me' and become my prince's guard? What do you plan to do next?" I jumped back, feeling the fence in my back. He charged; I easily evaded it.

I jumped up on the fence, to gain higher ground. It wobbled under my weight. The guard rushed me again, this time; I jumped up, tumbled in the air, and face his back. I put the sword to the back of his throat. "_You're dead_." I whispered. He dropped to his knees.

I drew back my sword. Suddenly, his foot whipped out, making me fall to the ground. Man, the ground was _hard_! I could see the world go black.

_"The duel was over, David."_ Brian's voice echoed inside my head.

_"T'was not over till we leave the ring. I won, you just wanted me to be beat,"_ I heard the gruffer voice of Captain David.

_"When a person says 'You're dead' the duel ends. It is how it has always been."_

I opened my eyes. The Captain stood over me with his sword pointed at my throat. "_You're dead_." I kicked him in his… ahem… manly part. He dropped to his knees. And stood, picking up my sword in one swift movement.

"Is this duel going to continue or will you submit?" I asked. "Or will you continue to fight until your head rolls?" I pointed my sword at his throat. "Submit!"

"I submit." He said glumly. I took away my sword and walked out of the arena.

"One down, two to go." I whispered to Brian. I was a little dusty and maybe a little bruised, but all in all, my adrenaline kept me up. "Footraces are next. Is the Captain of the guard going to challenge me in this too, or is his pride too hurt?" I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"No, his pride is not hurt enough for a simple race." I heard Captain David say. I turned, there he was and standing as any man would. Confident and casual. I turned to Brian. He did not know I placed in second for the Footrace tournament.

"What is the distance, Prince Brian?" I asked. I just barely noticed the gathering clouds.

"Around the palace." He said. "The first person to cross this," He drew a line in the ground. "Wins." I dropped my gear off to the side and stood at the line. "On my mark…" The Captain stood next to me. "Get ready," He put up his arms. "Set," They were fully up by now. I tightened my muscles, readying for the start. "Go!" I lurched forward.

I could hear myself pacing my breathing. I slowed, readying for the distance. Captain David sped ahead, just barely ahead. My mind started to change into my racing mind.

Feet pounding. Breathing steady. Sweat trickling. Blinking. World shaking. Turning a corner. Feet pounding. Breathing heavy. Rain starting. Wind blowing. Feet pounding. Breathing heavy. Turning a corner. Rain pouring. Feet pounding. Breathing heavy. Water splashing. Tunic wet. Blinking. Feet pounding. Turning a corner. Blinking. Sweat soaking. Lungs aching. Feet pounding. Water splashing. Hair tumbling. Wipe forehead. Lungs hurting. Feet painful. Turning a corner. Speeding up. Sprinting. Water splashing. Passing. Being passed. Passing. Lungs aching. Water splashing. Feet pounding. Rain drenching. Being passed. Passing. Finish line. Mind changing.

I put my hand out and touching Brian's hand. A mere second later, Captain David touched Brian's hand. I was panting. Sweat soaked my whole body. I stood up, holding my hands over my head. The air was mercifully cool. My lungs ached like no one's business. I congratulated myself. _Good job, Lilka. You showed Brian what you can- Stop! Stop thinking that. You had a good run, no different from any other. Keep your cool, girl. Keep your cool. Focus on Archery._ Brian's pat on the back snapped me out of my trance.

"Only archery next, Lilka." He admitted. "If you win this, you're the only guard I'll have." He smiled. "However, if my Captain wins, you're a servant of mine. Are both you ready?" My auburn hair was in my face, but I wanted to win. For heaven's sake, I had never lost at Archery!

"Aye, my lord." Captain David said slowly. I turned to him. He was unabashedly looking at me. I shook my head and turned around.

"I am." I said. "Where are we to compete?" The rain was clearing up.

"At the archery range." Well duh, smart one! "It's just over here." When we passed my things, I grabbed the bow and sword. Silently, I cursed. My bow and bowstring were wet from the rain. Captain David had thought to bring a case. Somehow, I thought he knew about the rain.

"I'll need to borrow one, Brian. Mine got wet." I said as we walked to the range.

"Sure, you can have whichever you want that is in the shed." Brian offered. I nodded in acknowledgement. He sped up. The Captain took this as an opportunity to tease me about it.

"Did the savage lady forget to bring her _bowcase_?" He teased. I knew it wasn't mean, merely, well, _teasing_. "Maybe she should _forfeit_ this competition."

"_Never_." I hissed. We entered the weapon-shed. I grabbed a bow an checked it's balace. _Way_ off. I checked another. _Better_. I looked at each one. They were all off. I looked at the Captain's bow.

"Brian, did you say I could have _any_ bow in this shed to borrow?" I asked sweetly.

"Yes…" He said slowly.

"_Good_." I said. I looked at Captain David. "I want his bow." The Captain was taken aback.

"You- you can't have my bow!" He said.

"And why not? It's in this shed, isn't it? I want you bow. You liege said I could have any in this shed, yours is in this shed." I explained, walking forward to take my prize.

"_Prince Brian!_" He wailed. The prince shrugged.

"She took it literally, nothing I can do about it." Brian said to my defense. "Get another bow, Captain David." The Captain glumly gave me his bow and took the bow I was about to take. It was almost balanced, the one that he took. His bow, I judged, was perfectly balanced. I grabbed some arrows and waited for the Captain to grab some. We each grabbed ten. Then, and only then, we headed outside.

**Nixiesocean: Tell me if you think Lilka should win or lose. I will give you until I get back from my vacation. Which is about two weeks. When I have time, I'll write Chapter Four with the result of the votes.**

**Send them via PM so that it's secret! (Hehe, I love secrets!)**

**If I don't get any votes, I'll have to decide for myself! Which, I'll tell you, will result in me asking an eight ball my brother owns.**

**Bye for now!**


	4. A Taste of Freedom

**Nixiesocean: I'm so sad! Only one person voted! Oh, well, thank you for your vote.**

**_Lilyflowr33_: Aww! But I want the reviewers to affect the story! Oh, well…**

**(Insert other responses because I am too lazy to actually do it). Onto the story!**

**Some of you may get angry, but it had to be done this way. I'm sorry. You'll understand later.**

_Chapter 4: A Taste of Freedom_

I looked down the shaft of the arrow towards the target. Brian's "Captain of the Guard" had already shot all of his. They were all in the bull's eye. This was my last arrow. All of mine too, were in the red innermost circle. I drew the bowstring back and released. The arrow flew straight and true. Too true.

The arrow struck line. I had missed by less than a bare inch. I reviewed what I had done wrong. Nothing had been done wrong. I had aimed for the center of the target. I thought through my sequence. I had let the bow slide down my hands after releasing. I cursed silently.

Captain David's sound of triumph pierced my deep thoughts. "I won!" He yelled.

"Oh shut up," I said sourly. "You don't have to act so surprised. After all, I am _a scrawny little thing._" I stalked away, my pride hurt.

"Lilka," Brian said. "Come back." My challenge forced me to turn on my heel and come back.

"What does _my lord_ request?" I asked with an accent on the title. I kept my eyes downcast, despite his earlier command. I was a servant, almost a slave.

"Captain David, you are dismissed. Speak not of this to your men." He commanded, every bit a prince. He turned back to me. "I'm not going to ask you to relinquish your past, but I will tell you to dress as a servant." I nodded. I was still irritated. This foreign man's Captain had beaten me, an Amazon, and the best archer at that! I blamed it on Captain David's bow, though I knew it was entirely my fault.

"Anything else, Prince?" I asked.

"Meet me in my room after you've changed." He said without blinking. I left, grabbing my practice sword and bow. I hid them deeply in my room so someone that was in my room couldn't find them. I left through the servant's door. Another servant was passing by.

"Excuse me," I said in _Fr'ain_, tapping his shoulder. He turned. He had brilliant blue eyes that were clouded by despair and blonde hair that was more brown from lack of sunlight. "Could you, um, tell me where I could get proper servant's garb?"

"Down the hall turn right when it dead-ends." He said quietly. "What are you here to do?"

"I, uhm, serve the prince." I said told the other servant. He laughed.

"You a mistress?" I asked. I saw he had pearly white teeth.

I had to remember what Brian had told me about that title, and his reaction to mine. "No, I, uh, lost a bet."

"A bet, eh? With the prince? What did you merit to speak with him?"

"I don't know, he was friendly." I told him, eye darting toward where I was to go. "I need to go." I turned to leave.

"What's your name?" The other servant asked me.

"Lilka." I told him.

"John Muller." I fixed John Muller's face into my brain. I left, going down the halls that seemed to go on forever. The walls, I noted, were bare stone. I was encased in stone. For some reason, that made me nervous. I was a daughter of the Isle, a free soul. I was bound my by own selfish pride. I was a servant, bound to serve Prince Brian, because of a lost bet. I was, somehow, happy. John Muller had been kind to me. Little did I know that the servant's tailor was the opposite of the kind John Muller.

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I had silently hoped Lilka would win. I couldn't help but feel sorry that I had accepted the bet. If Lilka was truly the Lilka she had shown me, then she would chafe at the restrictions placed on a servant. She was still new, probably lost in the intricate halls of the palace and the underwork of the servant's corridors. I was sitting on my bed reading a book when she emerged from the door in my room. She wore the brown dress of a servant girl. I tried not to notice her entrance, but she saw me.

"Am I to your satisfaction?" She asked.

"Please stop." I replied. She had an undertone of anger.

"Stop what? I lost a bet? I'm a servant. You're a prince. What did you need me for?" She replied. "Hordes of serving girls would just _love_ to be your servant. Yet, here I am. A servant girl." She stared into my eyes. I swore she knew all me secrets, just the way her eyes looked into mine.

I diverted my eyes. I felt her hands on my chin. Where her fingers touched, I felt my skin burn. She turned my head to hers. "What does my lord request?" She asked plainly. I couldn't tell her what I wanted.

A week passed with her in my service. She had grown sour towards me. Yet, if I was quiet when I entered my room, I could hear her singing. I could see her brushing her hair and plaiting it. As soon as I made a noise, her joyous expression faded and she came to me, as a servant.

One night, during a game of Checkers (I asked her to play with me) I asked her.

"What makes you so happy?" I asked. She looked up startled but quickly recovered. "I come in normally by opening the door and making noise and you are sour and angry. When I come in silently, you're singing and happy. Why?"

"Since my lord asked to kindly," She said sarcastically. "I met a man. He is nice, he cares for me, I think."

I didn't know how to respond. A part of me was crushed. I hadn't thought she would find someone. "I see." I looked at the board. She had me pinned. "You win." I picked up the board and put it away. "Good night."

I shut my eyes and for the first time in a long time I wondered why Lilka slept in the borrowed bed rather than in front of the door as she had done for me since we were on the ship here. I opened them again, wishing for the hundredth time that she hadn't lost that bet. That she hadn't cleverly come up with it. When I shut my eyes, I saw her bitter look when I asked about her joy. I saw her wistfulness when she spoke of her male interest. I saw her face before she had left the Isle of the Amazons and I saw her face now. Less wild and free. More tame, almost like an animal conforming to its surroundings. She wasn't fearful like a caged animal, more annoyed at being roped to a stake. I tried to sleep, but such a luxury was denied to me.

Morning broke through the large windows. Lilka was awake and braiding her auburn hair that was darkening from less sunlight. I silently crept out of my bed but I stepped on a squeaky floorboard. Lilka heard.

"My lord, truly sneaking around is not your strong suit." She called. "What would you like me to do today?" Mostly I had sent her to the servant's Director of Tasks, but I was trying something new.

"Accompany me today." I pulled on a riding outfit. "Get on breeches, unless you'd rather ride sidesaddle?"

"My lord, a servant should not ride with royalty." She said plainly. It was an unembellished face that betrayed that she wanted to leave the palace and go riding.

"Then I'm not royalty today. Come on!" I urged, wanting the original Lilka to break free. She wasn't the person that I had known as my friend. I didn't know how much one person could change. "We'll stop by the-"

"I can't." She said, the light in her eyes fading. "I told the Director of Tasks I was working today." She attempted to move to the door.

"If you won't come, I shall be forced to ride with Lady Sera, who had been most earnest in her attempts to have me court her." I said. She glared at me, those eyes piercing my secrets. "Will you come?"

"I-" No sound came out of her mouth. She shuddered. "I'll- I'll come," I came up and took her hand. She took it out. "But first, tell me, is this a trick?"

"What would I gain by tricking you into coming?" Why did I want her to come? Lady Sera was nice enough. She wasn't dreadful, at least, not anymore. Before I had left, she had very nearly kissed me.

"I don't know. You seem to have something hidden. Something I can't see. Maybe you too have a female interest." Lilka mused aloud. "Lady Sera?"

I cursed myself for barely mentioning her. "Sure. What if I told you I'm in love?" I teased.

"I would ask you how you differentiate between love and lust." She replied. "After all, many men lust after women, never truly falling in love."

My mind was racing. How do you know about love and lust? They were so similar in feeling yet different in action. "I would tell you that if you can wait for someone, never failing in your feelings, then you are in love. But, if you desire them and cannot bear to wait, then you are being lustful." I spoke from the heart.

"I see." She said shortly. "I'm ready to accompany my lord riding." I sighed, knowing that she was slipping back into the Servant Lilka. I wanted that curious Lilka back. The one that didn't hide her feelings, the one I longed to see again.

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Brian showed me the way to the stables. He led the way, seeming very much to be a "commoner". I cursed myself for being so open. I had let him know I didn't know about love. I had showed him that my old self wasn't completely lost. Once we entered the stables, he acted very much like a prince. We took two horses. We mounted. I took the lead, seeing the open fields ahead of us. I kicked the mare I rode into a canter, feeling the wind in my hair.

The morning sun had not completely risen. The colors of blue and red fought over control of the sky. I rode hard, feeling the rising wind in my hair. I slowed my horse. I undid my hair. I heard the prince come up behind me. My hair reached the middle of my back. I kicked the horse into a gallop, the hard wind making my eyes tear up. I dared myself to let go of the reins and slow up the horse to a canter.

Lilka the Amazon broke free from the cage that had held her so long. I laughed into the wind, feeling the morning dew. Feeling that sense of freedom erase my fears. I forgot Lilka the Servant and allowed myself to embrace my long-hidden self. When I reached a forest, I dismounted and walked toward a stream, longing for the pure water to run over my hands and sip untainted water.

I walked toward the running water, so entranced by the gurgling sounds. I stopped at the edge of a deep pool and dropped my horses' reins. The water was cool. I dove in, feeling the cool water embrace me. I was deep in the bottom of the pool. Somehow in my swimming, some water-dwelling plants had entangled me.

I automatically reached for my absent belt knife. It was not there. The more I fought, the deeper I was taken. Feeling both of feet wrapped by the weeds. I fought harder. My arm was stuck. My lungs screamed for air. I was forced to blow out my precious air. I unintentionally took in water. I spat in out, desperately trying to break free. I lost. Just before losing my unstable grip on reality, I saw someone dive in, the bubbles streaming around his body.

"Please wake up." I heard a voice plead. "Please, wake up."

I awoke on the bank of the pool, the waterweeds still around my arm and legs. Brian's face was close to mine, pressing the water out of my lungs. I coughed out the last of the water that was in my lungs and breathed in deeply the wondrous air. It tasted sweet. The sun had reached far into the morning sky, not yet High Noon.

"Lilka," Brian breathed, seeing my eyes flutter and open. "Thank the gods."

"I'm not dead…" I said softly. His eyes showed concern. "Why are you sad? I'm alive." I reached up to touch his cheek. He took my hand in both of his. "Who was that? I saw someone dive in after me…"

"Me," He whispered. "I- Lilka, please. Promise me not to try that again."

"Why are you so worried?" I asked. "Why do you care?"

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My heart screamed _'Because I love you, Lilka!'_ My brain said something extraordinarily stupid. "You're my servant. I had to keep you alive."

Sometimes, Lilka showed an old woman's wisdom. "Was it truly that? Or was it something else? Something you keep hidden." She dropped her hand.

I tried to change the subject. "Who do you think likes you? I may have to remind him of your wild nature."

"Why?" She asked seriously. "Why deny me my happiness? I won't tell you who I think cares for me."

"Please tell me." I pleaded.

"Why do you want to deny me my happy ending? Why do you want me not to be happy?"

"Because," I whispered, "I want to be happy." I pressed my lips to hers. The ache in my heart was erased. If I could stop time, I would now. I felt her surprise. She recovered quickly. I felt her move her hands over my neck, pulling my face harder onto hers.

I removed my lips gently. Feeling embarrassment rise in me. She spoke first. "You," She whispered. "You're the one that likes me." I placed my lips lightly onto hers. We both heard someone entered the glade.

"Well, well, well." The person said. "Prince Brian and his "servant"." I recognized the voice of Lady Sera. Instantly, we were up and facing Lady Sera in a black dress with a half-dozen men behind her.

"Why are you here?" Brian demanded.

"Isn't it _obvious_?" She sneered. "Men!" The half-dozen men surrounded us; they grabbed Lilka's arms and holding them behind her. The men around me only held out swords, not daring to touch me. "I'm here to make a deal." One of the men holding Lilka drew a sword and placed it around her neck.

"And what is that?" I growled, now irritated with this court lady.

"If you offer marriage to me, the servant-girl lives. Should you refuse, she dies here and now and you'll marry me anyways."

I looked over at Lilka, not struggling against one of her captors' sword. She silently pleaded with me, but I couldn't betray her and marry this devil. When she tried to speak, the captor tightened the sword against her neck. I sighed, looking resigned. "What will you do to her if I accept?"

"That was not part of the agreement." Lady Sera snarled. "Make your choice, I am running short on time."

"I want to know where I am condemning her!" I hissed.

"You'll know once you offer!" The court-lady yelled.

It felt like a stone in my stomach. One way, I would condemn Lilka to an unknown punishment, the other she would die. One-way was selfless, the other selfish. I breathed in deeply. With eight words I sealed both our fates. "Lady Sera of Geraln will you marry me?"


	5. Caging the Free

**Nixiesocean: Yes, yes, I know… I _should_ be working on Lady-In-Shining-Armor or The Fatal Mistake, but this idea popped into my head as I was cleaning my room.**

**Review responses:**

**_Lilyflwer33_: I thrive on intensity. Have a good read!**

**P.S. If it seems like time is passing rather quickly, it's because the writer is impatient and incapable of writing a story slowly. Add in your own details!**

_Chapter 5: Caging the Free_

"A wise decision, my dear prince." Lady Sera snarled. "Now, your little pretty is going to be a slave." I easily noticed Brian's horrified expression. Not that I was happy about being a slave, mind you. But you know, having a knife up to your throat really opens up a whole new world. "Where? That I will not say. For how long? Until our marriage is completed, then, she will be released… if she lives."

"I can't believe what I've just done," He whispered in an undertone caught only by my sharp ears. "I've condemned her to her death." I didn't let him know I had heard. It would only make him feel worse. For now, I had to cage my free spirit and return to a submissive state, but that was so hard. Once a person gets a taste of freedom, they fight for another. Almost like an addiction.

"When _we_ get back to the castle, I'll send your girl off so as not to bother you." She smiled evilly. I kept my mouth quiet. "Men!" Rough rope tied my hands behind my back and my legs together. I was thrown over a man's shoulder like a sack of flour. At first, I tried kicking. The men showed no mercy. Wherever my strong legs kicked, I was punched. Eventually, I learned not to hurt the man who carried me.

I was roughly placed in a covered cart. It was driven by two of my captors with two driving Lady Sera's carriage and two as guards for my cart. The inside was devoid of anything remotely comfortable. I was forced to lean up against the side of a barrel of some foul-smelling thing. The day passed slowly. I spoke to myself in my native tongue. The more I spoke, I more homesick I became. I longed for that open Isle, the yearly competitions… and the security. Some part deep down inside wished that I had never been picked out by Brian, that I was still on the Isle of the Amazons, that I was still naïve.

My laments turned into the song for the dead. I mourned my caged spirit. Halfway through, a head poked in. "You there!" He said in _Fr'ain_. "Get into that barrel, the Lady says to. She also says to stay quiet." I was about to say that I wasn't going to be commanded by any _Fr'ain_. Not even Brian, no matter how much I thought of him. I could see it in him that he hadn't wanted my servitude. I had obeyed out of respect for royalty, not due to mastery. The man growled and I gave him a glare. He narrowed his eyes. I shrugged. He pulled his head out and started to speak to the other man.

"Stay here, she's being finicky." I'll have to ask Brian what-. The reality of my situation smacked me full-force in the face. I wouldn't see him again until he was wed to Lady Sera. Even then, she would never let me speak to him privately or publicly. I listened intently on the orders the man gave. "Don't speak to her until the Lady gets to. She'll set this wench right." I mentally started a list of words I didn't know that they said. One man walked away. The other, I saw, shifted right between the folds of cloth covering the back of the cart.

I heard the carts stop and two people approach my cart. One was Lady Sera, the other, Brian. The "Lady" stepped inside, Brian following.

"My _dear_ Prince," She said, her voice all honey. "Set this slave straight on mannerisms."

I cocked my head, a small smile. I refused to be beat down. I could whip this noble's rear-end any day she chose, at anything. Nobles were anything but active, from the servant's gossip I'd heard. Brian spoke quietly. "You _do_ realize that no matter how low her station or how dirty she may look that she never obeys anyone?" He asked politely.

"Then _I'll_ make her obey." Lady Sera drew out a riding crop. The first beat I didn't feel. Each time afterwards, I felt it tenfold. I saw in Brian's eyes remorse for what he had done. I wasn't angry with him; I was too busy taking the blows. I didn't move or look like I had been cowed. Finally, she ordered me into ten foul-smelling barrel. I refused flatly. The beatings continued. By now, I had bruises from the men, a sore back from the barrel and welts from Lady Sera. Just outside of the capital, the cart stopped and the carriage bypassed my prison. I heard talking outside.

"Take her far away, Dyaon, I don't want her to even _think_ about getting in the way."

The man called Dyaon said he would. Then, we turned down another road and pass the capital that had become my home. I inspected the inside of my confinements rather quickly. There was not a trace of food. There was a dress to my size in one corner. It was grubby brown, worse that the shirt and breeches I wore now. I decided not to put it on. I leaned up against my barrel and fell into a fitful slumber.

_I soared high above the seas, flying ever closer to the Isle I knew so well. From above, it seemed so small and delicate. As I neared the ground, it became more menacing and less like I knew it. I saw Amazons running around, their stomachs bulging. In spite of it, I laughed. Oh how life had changed. The spears had been removed and the winds had died down that protected my Isle. I landed on the grassy surface. I saw my old friend, Kayla, with a bulge in her stomach. She looked out across the seas. As I moved closer, she shivered._

_"Why did you leave, Lilka?" She whispered. "I did as I was commanded. What are you like now, nearly two months later?" I sat down next to her. "I wanted to leave, like you, I never had enough courage. You had too much." I reached out to touch her cheek, pale from tears. "Maybe that man was the one for you. I hope your happily being courted, your life as grand as can be." Just as she was to get up, my world shook violently._

"Wake up you goof-for-nothing!" Dyaon said. "Lousy slaves." I groggily opened my eyes. I was a bright morning. Had I slept all night? I shook my head, which felt like cotton, and squinted my eyes against the extra light. I jumped out of the cart. My welts, bruises, muscles and bones were complaining against the movement. I yawned. Before me sat a large stage with an auctioneer and a man whose eyes were downcast. The man who was selling the slaves looked over at me and motioned for Dyaon to take me up to the stage where I could be sold. I pushed me up to the stage.

"And here we have a lovely young lady, of about eighteen years." He started. Everyone saw the welts and bruises covering me. "A good guard-slave I might venture to guess." He looked me over, eyes lingering on my breasts. Had I not been roped I might've smacked his face. "Bid starts at ten silver." Thus the bidding begun, I was sold, after not much debate between buyers, for twelve silvers and three coppers. I moved over to a man. I kept my eyes on his, refusing to be cowed. I was smacked. When he raised a whip, I moved my eyes down. I had heard from the servants that a whip was to be feared, though I did not fear it. I pretended to be cowed. Inside, I was struggling against the mantle of slavery. My stomach growled. I kept my eyes on the dirt, counting my toes over and over again.

Eventually, the day ended. My legs were sore from standing. I joined many other slaves led by an overseer. We trudged southwest. A scared woman came up to talk to me.

"That was a mighty stubborn trick you pulled there," She whispered. "You have too much courage. How long have you been a slave?"

"Three." I said quietly. "Three days."

She snorted. "No wonder you're so courageous. My, and you're _covered_ in welts! What did you _do_?"

"Made a lady of the court jealous." I had decided to say that the prince had fallen in love with me was just a little beyond this woman's understanding. "She took me by surprise."

"You a noble?" She asked incredulously.

"No." I said. "A servant."

"You must've done something _mighty_ incredible to make a noble jealous." She prodded. I shrugged.

_"Quiet!"_ The overseer yelled. "You slaves do nothing but chatter! Shut your mouths and _walk quietly_!"

I smiled. That overseer obviously didn't know _me_. His muscles were big, but overworked. My muscles were lean and toned. We walked in silence, the other slave and I. We arrived at the master's house in an hour or so. I was told I had to take care of a young child, "young" meaning a little less than five or six. "What's your name?" I asked my charge.

"Carrie." She smiled. She was the first person I had seen so sincere in her smiles; sure, men saw me and smiled. Sure, women of the palace saw me and smiled a fake smile. Carrie had the sincerity of what I used to have. Naivety. How I longed it, how much this world had changed me.

"What is your name?" She asked, curiousity overriding any fear she might hold.

"Lilka." I whispered.

"Lilka!" She responded in turn. I nodded.

"Well, Carrie, what do you want to do?" I said, kneeling down to her height.

"Do you want to play dolls with me?" I was taken aback by the question. Options. Choices. Variety. I took up her small hand and she led me to her rooms. Her room was the size of my old one, the one in the palace. The dolls were all neatly stacked and displayed. She took down two well-worn dolls. One so used, I couldn't even make out the face and another less used but obviously loved. She handed me the less-used one. We played.

A day passed before I remembered I was a slave. A day passed before the lord remembered me, the slave. A day passed before my life changed dramatically.

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"Tell me where you sent her, Lady Sera!" I shouted. This worm, nay _snake_, had sent Lilka, _my Lilka_, away to be beat by some man who didn't know her.

"Dear Brian-" She said languidly.

"Don't you _dare_ call me so informally!" I retorted. We were in the gardens, protected by a gurgling fountain and the hedges.

"Fine." She replied, obviously containing her anger. "I'll tell you again, _I have no idea where she is_! Nor will I allow you out of this palace without my presence. Once our marriage has been finalized, you may be as distant as you like, until then, _you are_ _mine_!"

I stormed out of the gardens, furious with that lady, if the term fit her at all. To trick me into marriage only to inform me that she did not know where Lilka was. I went up to my room, overlooking the map. I knew slavery was illegal in _my_ country, but all our neighboring countries thrived on the slave trade. I sighed. For once, couldn't there be slavery in my country? It would make my life _so_ much easier! I summoned a maid. She brought my request: Captain David.

"My liege?" He asked, bowing.

"I know you may find this stupid but-" For once, my Captain had interrupted me. For once, I didn't care.

"You want me to find your missing servant." He finished. "I'll start after we are finished here." Where did he learn to be so loyal? I'd have thought I'd have to order him to do it.

"Yes, make sure Lady Sera doesn't find out that you're searching for her. When you find her, send a missive to me." I told him. He left without asking why I wanted to hide the search from my "fiancée". I sighed and pulled red pushpins. I wanted to be able to mark where my captain had searched. I hid the pins when I heard a knock on my door. "Enter!" I said sadly.

"Brian?" My mother asked. "Why so glum? Your fiancée is simply _bubbling_ with the news! Come on, stop staring at that map!"

"No," I whispered, eyes intent on the map. "I can't."

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Two days after my arrival, I was beat twice for playing with the lord's daughter and once for working "slowly". Each night, I dreamt of Brian, of the jealously on Lady Sera's face, of the look of triumph when Brian had said those eight words. Each day passed without my knowledge, I walked in a dream world. I worked inside as a kitchen slave, the lord never saw me. I never saw the innocent face of Carrie again. My hair started to darken, my skin lightened.

It had been two weeks since my capture. Two weeks of beatings, complaints and near starvation. I slept on the kitchen floor, since slaves "needed no bed" according to my overseer.

Winter came. The other five slaves that had come with me had found warm haystacks or animals to sleep with. I wasn't allowed to leave the kitchens, save for the bathroom. Speaking of which, I only got a "bath" once a week (if that). My hair dulled from lack of care. My "baths" were a bucket of well water to rinse off, and one to rinse out my hair. Bare minimum.

One exceedingly cold winter night, I found the warmth of the fire pit to be something warmer than the cold floor. I awoke in the cinders, covered head-to-toe. I brushed them off, but not before some servants (who, I discovered, were not all that kind to me) saw me covered. They taunted me endlessly.

Then one day, the kitchen was alight with news, I listened closely. "Prince Brian of Calain has chosen a bride!" They whispered gleefully. "His mother invites _anyone_ from _any_ country to join the ball!" Except slaves. I though glumly. Slaves are nothing; slaves are not even a person in this country, wherever I was.

"Lilka?" They asked me. "Aren't you happy? You could attend a _ball_!" They were exceedingly happy for some reason. I couldn't be. The throb in my heart dulled with each passing day, but Brian never left my mind. "The ball is to be held in early spring, just after the wedding!"

The next day the seamstresses were at work, busily making the new outfits for the ball, the servants had to go to the town's seamstresses, but the lord and his daughter, Carrie, had a personal seamstress. Also the next day, I was summoned to my lord. There stood him in debate with another man.

"She is worth far more than _that_!" My "owner" said. "I paid twenty silvers for her cheek!" What a lie. He paid twelve silvers!

"Well, how about twenty silvers to take her off your hands." The stranger said. "No more."

"Twenty silvers and five coppers." The lord demanded. Sighing, the stranger handed over the money. The man that owned me signed some papers and handed them to the stranger. I was pushed over to the new man. "He's your new master, slave."

I bowed politely. We left.

We went out to a cart. He offered the seat next to me. I smiled and took it.

"What is your name?" He asked. I kept my eyes downcast.

"Lilka, sir." I said quietly.

"I'm Reed," He said. "Master Reed."

"Thank you, sir."

"Don't be submissive to me," Brian's words rung heavily _'don't' be so submissive' _"I'm not a cruel master." He said. I nodded. "Serve me well and I'll free you, Lilka." I was afraid I might become what the other servants and slaves called "a bedwarmer" and I really didn't want to find out what it meant, though I had suspicions. We rode for a while. "You may be wondering why I came so far for you, Lilka." Master Reed said quietly.

"Yes, sir. I was." I admitted.

"Keep quiet about your name, you are Felecia now." He said, "In Calain, you are known as the missing lady." He said, sharing this tidbit of gossip. "Prince Brian has delayed his marriage three times because he was missing his servant," I shrugged, trying not to care. "You." He said.

"What does it matter? Until he's married, I'm a slave. That was the deal."

"Wrong, Lilka." He said plainly. "She said you would be a slave, released when they were wed-"

"Isn't that the same thing?" She asked sourly.

"She didn't say you could be brought back into Calain!" He grinned broadly. "Any slave taken in Calain is freed. Therefore, once we cross the border, you're free as any woman." A great burden was taken off me. I could return to the palace under a guise and talk to Brian. I could convince the king and queen, with Brian's help, of Lady Sera's treacherous attempts to take the throne and everything would work out.

I slept in the back of the cart, falling into a true sleep. The longest, hardest sleep I'd had in a long time. When I opened my eyes, sunlight streamed through the windows of the room I lay in. I yawned. Where was I? Where was Master Reed? I crept slowly down the stair. I heard a familiar voice, one I hadn't heard in a long time.

_"Have you seen this girl? She was a slave, probably talked about as a fighter."_

_"No, sir. I saw her 'bout two weeks back at the slave market."_

_"Who bought her?"_

_"Lord Friedrick, he lives about a days' ride from here."_

I peered around the corner. I was unable to sustain a gasp. Captain David! Both men, the barkeep and Captain David, looked at the origin of the gasp. Me. The captain turned back to the keep.

"You said she wasn't here." He accused. "Why?"

"Master Reed paid well!" The barkeep/innkeeper said. "He said not to say a word about her." Captain David rolled his eyes. He looked back at me.

"Where are you going?" He asked, coming over to me. "Come outside." We left, going behind the inn. Finally, he spoke. "Gods! Brian'll be so happy."

The mention of his name made my stomach catch fire. "Was he searching for me?" I asked breathless.

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"Master Reed told me he was taking me to the border of Calain and here." I said, his eyes betrayed something else. "What?"

"You're no where near Calain. You're headed west, toward another slave country." I took in breath sharply.

"Why would he lie?" I asked. I had some experience in lies, nothing to this man's extent. "Why?"

"I'm guessing he wanted to resell you, for a higher price. In any case, where is he?" The Captain asked. "I want to buy you."

"She's not for sale." Master Reed said across the room. "She'll fetch a high price in the next town."

"I'll double what you paid for her." Captain David offered. "My patron will want a girl like her."

"I paid well for her, underfed and dirty." Master Reed said. "And since the prince of Calain wants her badly, she'll fetch a higher price." Immediately, Captain Daivd was on Master Reed, sword against the man's throat. I was wide-eyed. He had only shown such aggression during the swordfight.

"You'll sell her, and you'll sell her now." He said. "Where are your papers?"

"In my bags, on the bottom." He said, eyes never leaving Captain David's sword. He motioned for me to go get the papers. I grabbed his bag and hurried back outside. I went through each and pulled out the desired papers.

"And how much?" Captain David asked, pushing the sword onto the man's neck.

My owner let out a squeak. "Twenty silvers and five coppers." He said. I nodded in agreement. I took the papers and a quill over to him. He signed the release papers. Captain David signed the new owner area. He paid the twenty silvers, leaving off the coppers. He smiled at me and we left the slave merchant.


	6. The Queen of Calain

**Nixiesocean: Okay, this is probably the quickest update ever for this story! Normally I wait a few days for people to read and review, then answer questions and other things, but you know, I couldn't wait!**

**_Lilyflowr33_: I don't know… at first it was going to be an original story, then, well, my fingers have a mind of their own. Often, I don't even know how the story will play out. I tend to write-as-you-go. Therefore, plot twists are extremely common! Maybe I'll make it a Cinderella. Maybe I won't, truly, I don't know.**

**_LialaSword_: Thank you for the intensity compliment. It makes me smile. And, I only know maybe (just maybe) one chapter ahead of time. Mostly, it takes me those few days to think up what the next chapter will be about, who will tell it and what will happen.**

**_KillerBunni_: As you can see, I am. Once again, my plots are really random…**

**_minor_: Well, at least we agree on that aspect, that the story moves too fast. It's hard for me to slow things down. Either the story moves quickly or it's so slow it drags (see _Lady-in-Shining-Armor_ or _The Fatal Mistake_ for reference). Then again, this is a good experience for me.**

_Chapter 6: The Queen of Calain_

If all had gone well, Lilka wouldn't have been a servant and Lady Sera not my fiancée. If all had gone well, Lilka might still be here and I might still see her face. If all had gone well, I wouldn't be getting married in two weeks. Lady Sera had forced me to tell my mother I wanted the marriage earlier. Oh how I wished to see Lilka's face once more before I was tied eternally to the devil incarnate.

I have cursed her name more than once an hour, pleading with the gods to bring Lilka back to me once more. When I slept, I dreamt of our kiss in the woods, right before Lady Sera had appeared, I dreamt of the taste of her lips on mine. I dreamt that Lady Sera had never come after us and she was here, with her smiles and her constant presence. I dreamt she was about to walk around the corner and hug me, tell me it was all a dream. The more I thought and dreamt, the less real it seemed.

"Brian?" My mother asked. I was staring at the map again. It had been a little over a month since I sent Captain David on his mission and I had not a word. "Why are you looking at that map again? Is there something you want?"

I shut my eyes. "Yes." I said. "I want a happy ending, like all the other princes. I don't want to live with this guilt. I want to have my old life back."

"Isn't Lady Sera the suitor you chose?" She asked, confused. "Shouldn't she be the one you love, since we gave you a _choice_?"

"Mother, Lady Sera is far from my choice." I replied. "But I can say no more about it."

"Did she _threaten_ you?" My mother asked, coming closer.

_Not me_, I thought. _My heart_. "Not me directly, the servant I had."

"Lilka? That foreign girl you brought back from your trip?" Mother inquired.

"Yes, her." I said. I couldn't bear to say her name. My stomach felt like stone and my heart heavy with guilt. Had I not picked her on that Isle, she might still be there, naïve and untouched. But I _had_ picked her, and now I couldn't even shield her from the horrors of the world outside of the palace.

"Lady Sera told us she left for different work." The queen said. "Why be so sad? She had that freedom."

"And it was torn from her." I spat. "By eight words I spoke while a sword was at her throat. I sealed her fate, _slavery_. Mother. Slavery or death. Either way I lost."

"Slavery? But no slave is a slave-"

"Inside out borders, I know. The problem is no searches on the borders. They could take her to any one of the four boarding countries and sell her into slavery. It doesn't matter that _we_ don't allow slavery. It's that she _is_ a slave _now_." A great burden felt lifted on my shoulders. I had told my mother my deepest problem, the thing that kept sleep from me and replaced my thoughts. It was a mantra inside my mind. _Slavery. Slavery. Lilka._

"Should we cancel the wedding now? She deserves neither throne nor man! We have to cancel it!" The Queen of Calain yelled.

"We can't. I'm sure Lady Sera knows someone that knows where Lilka is. She'll have her killed for a petty thing if I don't go through with this."

"So you will chain yourself with this despicable creature to save a servant?" Said my mother incredulously. "Do you love this woman? This peasant?"

I sat down on the chair brought over by my mother during some part of our conversation. "By all the gods, Mother, I don't know how. It's just-"

"Love." She whispered. "I know the feeling. Everything about your father I found so repulsive, yet I love the man and I don't know why." She rubbed my back, like she had when I was a little child and nightmares had overcome my peaceful sleep. Somehow, I found solace in that silent conversation. I found peace in my mother. It was like a shack in a storm, something to shield all your fears. I breathed in deeply and stood.

"I need to-" A knock at the door stopped my talk. I went over, not knowing if it was good or bad. I opened the door. A currier stood at the door. He held a paper. I paid him a few coins and shut the door. My eyes scanned the note. I recognized the handwriting.

_B,_

_I have found the gems you sought for your fiancée. They were with a trader in a small town. I knew that you wanted only the best gems for your wedding, so I traveled all the way to Fyan. You were right. She will truly fall in love with them as you said she would. I am almost to Calain with them. I will send another note when I reach the capital._

_D._

_P.S. Be warned. They are different than what you requested; slightly off-color I might say._

I almost cried. Fyan! This was the note I had longed for, since she had been torn from me. My mother didn't have to ask. "David found her, Mother." I whispered. Relief banished the storm. My only wish was that they would be here before my two weeks were up. If I knew cart-travel well, it might take them those two weeks to reach the capital if they shed the cart at the first town and got horses.

It was about evening when I got the note. Therefore, dinner was in order. "I'll meet you at dinner, sweetie." My mother said when I didn't speak. She left without a response from me. I was too intent on the map, guessing where they were. I re-read the note. Only noticing the after-word. Off-color? Different? How? What had those slaveholders done to my Lilka that could've changed her enough for the Captain of the Guard to notice?

I sighed resignedly and left to go down for dinner. Torture. Dinner was torture. I dressed in a nice tunic and breeches and went down the stairs.

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"The scullery servants at the old place said his marriage was in the spring, is that true?" I asked Captain David. He nodded. I wasn't about to say _'then why all the rush?'_ since I dearly wanted to get back to Brian. We had sold the cart back at the other town. We now rode hard on two horses, cantering a mile and galloping a mile. The horses rested each night.

Two days back, Captain David had sent a note with a currier. I didn't get to read what it said. When I asked him about it, he shrugged. I guessed it had something to do with me. So far, it had been three days total since the Captain had "saved" me from the slave trade.

A day ago, we had passed the border of Calain to Fyan (Captain David told me that's where I was). That marked the passage of me from slave to free woman again. It didn't feel any different. I felt like a bird should swoop down and say, "You're free! Delight in tonight!"

Today, I saw rolling hills. They seemed so much like those that had set me free by the palace. I looked back at Captain David. He watched me intently. We were on a cantering mile. I knew I shouldn't gallop ahead and wear out my horse needlessly. I resolved to enjoy the next galloping mile like I had when Brian and I had gone riding.

The next day two days were rainy. They were terrible days forcing us to only canter. I could see Captain David's reluctance. We hadn't stopped that next night. We rode all night. Stopping only to catch a few hours' rest. The horses ate heartily and quickly. We kept riding.

The next day was light rain. We could canter and gallop. That night, we stayed at an inn. That was the first inn I had been at since the one I had stayed at with Master Reed. I wasn't allowed in the common room. Captain David strictly forbade it. I stayed in my room and got extra sleep. I didn't rebel, knowing I owed him for saving me.

Today marked a week from my rescue. We rode hard, since it was a nice day. That night around the fire I had sores. Captain David threw a salve and some bandages at me. I wrapped my legs. They healed well.

The next two days were normal with nothing of importance. What _was_ of importance was that that night we stayed with Captain David's family, who lived three days' ride from the capital.

"Here's where I lived as a child, Lilka." I was surprised by his talk. Most days for me were spent reviewing _Pui e Pui_ maneuvers and weapon techniques. "Castle Wayan."

"You live in a castle?" I asked.

"I _lived_ in a castle, not only royalty live in castles." He said evenly.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "Are we staying here?"

"Yes." He hailed the guard who promptly opened the gate, despite it being sundown. "Be polite, we're getting new horses while we're here. My parents still could refuse my request." Really? Huh…

"I will, Captain David." I said, following him. A hostler took our horses into the stables. Captain David and I took the small packs on the horses inside. His mother and father, I guessed, met us at the door. A butler took the bags to our rooms.

"David!" His mother, the lady of Castle Wayan, embraced her son. His father stuck out a hand for a handshake. "We're _so_ glad you came to visit!"

"I'm glad to be home, Mother." He replied, less the military man I knew. "Father." He greeted.

"And who is _this_?" His mother bubbled. "A lover?"

David blushed. He then coughed. "Uh… no, Mother." I simply stood there, letting Captain David take care of the situation. Personally, I had never seen him so flustered. "She's- she's a friend."

"Lilka, my lady." I smiled politely.

"Well, Lilka, you're welcome among us if David approves of you." His mother flashed a wink at him. She hadn't noticed I caught it.

"We just need to stay here tonight." Captain David said. "And new horses if you could," He paused as if thinking about something. He shrugged, as if forgetting it.

"We've just finished dinner." David's father said. "But I'm sure the cooks could fix something up for you."

"Thank you." By this time, Captain Daivd's mother had finished inspecting my clothes. A worn-out pair of breeches, bought some time back, a thin shirt, again, bought a time ago, and the shoes I had been issued with the slaveholders. She clucked.

"This won't do. I have better clothes for a young lady to wear than breeches and old shirts. Come along Lilka." It was order; therefore I obeyed. I sent the Captain a pleading look.

"I'll bring your food to Mother's quarters." He replied to my retreating back.

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I was forced to try on the outfit for the umpteenth time. It was hot, uncomfortable and made me feel worse. Lilka was still a ways away. There was no way (with Lady Sera's block on everything I saw and did) for me to contact David or send him a missive about my impending marriage. I looked at myself in the mirror. The black tunic with a white undershirt and black trousers made me look like I was going to a funeral, which I was in my point of view. My mother entered.

"Brian! You look splendid!" She exclaimed. "Maids, you are dismissed." They left quickly, being that my mother, the Queen of Calain, had dismissed them.

"Mother!" I gave her a hug. "I'm glad you're here."

"I have news, Brian." She said seriously.

"What?"

"Captain David still isn't here." She said.

"I know!" I muttered. "If he was, I'd be free from this shackle!" She didn't speak. "That wasn't it, what is it?"

"Castle Wayan sent a message." Both of us knew David came from Castle Wayan. "It reads that they will be unable to attend the marriage due to a sickness Lady Celia contracted. Lord Wayan wrote that he could not attend a marriage without his lady at his side."

"What's the matter with that? So Lady Celia is sick. I can accept such an excuse." I said indifferently. "Why are looking at me like I'm stupid?" She was!

"_Because_ they're _boycotting_ the marriage!" My mother explained. _They're boycotting the marriage!_

"What gave you that impression?" I asked.

"Their son." She said. What was I, dense? "I know he sent them a message explaining the situation. They'd do _anything_ for him, you know that!"

"So…"

"Other nobles, being that the Wayan family is powerful, will also boycott!"

"This won't make Lady Sera very happy, being that my death will be in three days." I said sorrowfully.

"Prince _Brian_!" A voice said cheerfully. I rolled my eyes at my mother and left, knowing Lady Sera was impatient. "How do you like it?" She twirled around, showing off the white dress that showed off her womanly curves.

"Lady Sera? You know it's bad luck for the groom to see the wedding dress before the marriage, right?" I said, barely containing a smile.

"Huh? Oh, just those silly superstitions!" She grinned and stopped spinning. Her dress was pure white silk. Small roses lined the corset, making her appear skinnier. The dip of her dress was way below what one would consider modest. The veil that covered her face was sheer, almost invisible.

I shrugged. "Was this all you wanted me for? I have to get this off, I have an appointment with my father in five minutes." What an excuse! I hoped she didn't catch it.

"Oh," Apparently not. "I hope you haven't forgotten what happens in three days!" She said, smiling flirtatiously.

"I haven't." I said dryly. I hurried off, leaving her in her white dress.

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I spent that night in a comfortable bed with warm food in my belly. I shut my eyes, dreaming once again of a perfect world where there was no Lady Sera and no slavery. Where there were no sad endings and everyone found true love. I went to sleep thinking of Brian, of his almond eyes and how he looked when I awoke after nearly drowning. Of how worried he was when Lady Sera gave him his ultimatum. How torn he was when she had beaten me. How he had smiled when I told him I had suspected him. How he had looked when I taught him _Pui e Pui_. How he would look when I came in the castle and demand that the marriage be cancelled

_-Downstairs-_

David sat on a chair, conversing with his parents. He sipped the white wine and listened intently to the news. He had been too worried about people finding out about Lilka that he hadn't listened to gossip. His mother was the one to betray the news that intrigued him the most.

"David, you'll have to leave as soon as the sun rises." His mother said seriously.

"Why? You guys breed the fastest horses in all of-" He started.

"Listen to me! _You have to leave at first light!_ Lady Sera has moved the marriage. It'll be happening when you arrive!" David's shocked face would've been funny looking at any other time. Except this. Dread made his stomach curl upon itself, hoping to God they'd get there at the right time. His father pushed a wrapped package over to him. "David honey, I know you are devoted to the prince, so use this to your advantage." His mother said, patting the package. "It's what you asked for."

He nodded solemnly. "We'll leave at first light, with two horses." With that, he stood and took the package, heading silently to bed. His mind was calculating how to get Lilka to mess with the marriage without her knowledge. Did Amazons know about marriage rituals? He hoped not. If she did, her obedience to royals may just get in the way.

Daylight came too quickly for the Captain. For once, he wished sleep didn't mess with his perspective on time's passage. Lilka was awake and eating a light breakfast. He nodded to her and went out to get the horses ready. The hostler wasn't awake and he didn't bother the man. He took out the two horses with small X's near their name.

Lilka came out with a small bar for him to eat. He ate it silently and they left, not saying goodbye or with fanfare. They rode hard; they galloped two miles and then cantered one. All day, they ate in the saddle, never daring to stop to rest. The horses drank much water that night. Captain David never said, but he guessed Lilka knew something wasn't right.

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I sat in the chair, reviewing the map. They were probably two days from here, the palace. The marriage was two days away. I dared to sleep, to dream. My taste of sleep was far too short than I wished. I wanted to sleep until she came back. Unfortunately, Lady Sera would never allow such laziness. She sent a maid to wake me up. We had to walk in the gardens, her clinging on my arm like a lover. I detested it.

"Isn't it a _beautiful_ day?" She asked. "I hope our wedding is this pleasant." I wished it would drench her prim hair. I wanted her embarrassed to no end if Lilka didn't come. I wanted that day to be remembered as a day of sorrow, for me, if anything.

"Yes," I said dryly. "Beautiful."

She lifted her chin. "Did you know that your precious servant is no longer a slave? She escaped off the place she was bought." I looked at her, trying to no betray that I already knew this. "The purchaser said a man similar to the captain of you guard forcefully bought her." Couldn't he have been discreet? For once? "I wonder, if it was him, since he's been gone, and not guarding you." Was this an attempt to make me betray Captain David? "Could you have in on this?"

"I didn't know he was gone so far. He asked to take a leave to visit his parents." Which in truth, he wasn't, but he had to have passed them this way, since his parents were boycotting my wedding. "Probably to visit his sick mother."

"Lady Celia is _sick_?" She acted surprised. "Can she still come?"

"No." He replied. "Lord Wayan said he couldn't attend a wedding without his lady."

"Oh dear, I hope she's okay!" Of course you are, Lady Sera. "I hope they don't take offense to us not postponing!" Why did she act like I did it willingly? "Well, it's been pleasant, Prince Brian, but I really must make sure I look _perfect_ for our wedding day!" She scurried off. I suspected she had other things to do, like sending a missive to the parents of Captain David.

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We rode hard the next two days too, covering as much ground as we had two days before. We didn't stop until the moon was high above us. I had asked, last night, about the package. He dismissed the question, easily changing the subject to my practice of Arms or Archery. I admitted I hadn't been practicing, though he understood why.

When I asked again about the package, he told me this.

"Get some sleep, Lilka." He said. "You'll need it. We're arriving in the capital tomorrow, and we'll need a lot of energy." He never said why. I learned not to ask. Captain David rarely told things he didn't want me to know. Something was up, I knew it. He knew I knew it, yet didn't tell me what nor did I ask.

"You should too, Captain David, despite your protests you need sleep as much as I do." I told him. "I'll take first guard." I saw the rings around his eyes. "Sleep." I crawled out of the warm sleeping bag and shooed him from the guard spot. "If you don't I shall report you to Brian and he'll make you take a day off to sleep." He relinquished.


	7. The Not So Innocent Bride and the Amazon

**Nixiesocean: There is good news for all y'alls. I'm updating yet again! I love this story waaay too much to let this story stew.**

**I won't keep you all from reading, so I'm quickly replying to the questions you people have.**

**_Lilyflowr33_: She isn't nearly innocent enough. She's a devious, plot-messing-up power-hungry woman! **

**Thanks, it was spontaneous, I had to make up a way that the family of Captain David wouldn't attend a forced marriage.**

**Understandably. I know he's acting all scared of Lady Sera, but up until recently, he hadn't realized how many connections she had. She mentions, in the last chapter, that she knew Lilka was gone with a man matching the description of Captain David. Prince Brian had to appear like he didn't know what she was talking about.**

**_minor_: Thanks, what else do I do in my free time besides make all my _wonderful_ readers happy?**

**_FishFace_: I explained the change, FishFace. I know she's bland and tired. Wouldn't you be too if you were beaten, shoved around and tricked into compliantly going into more slavery? Could you really keep up your original disposition if you were ripped from a man (or woman) you really loved? Before then, she thought she'd never get to see Brian's face again. Now, she truly has the option. Don't worry. Seeing Brian'll do the poor girl some good.**

**Ahem. Read the answer to _Lilyflowr33_'s third question. You'll find your answer there.**

**Enough babble from the crazy author. Read and review!**

_Chapter 7: The Not-So-Innocent Bride and the Amazon_

I was glad Captain David was _finally_ asleep. I doubted he truly had a good night's sleep since before I had been rescued. The package he had so protectively held was calling to me. I knew I shouldn't. The object of my human curiosity was under Captain David's head. I crawled over silently. I brought out another thing that could be used as a substitute, a saddlebag. I gently picked up his head and took out the package. He stirred. I put it back and moved away. He yawned, turned over and hugged the package closer to his chest.

I sighed. I swore he was awake, the way he was hugging that thing. My shift was over when the moon reached high into the night sky. There it was, approaching faster than one would've thought possible. I gently woke up Captain David, telling him it was his shift.

He opened his eyes. The thing that emerged from his mouth wasn't something I would've expected. "Lilka," He whispered in a half-awake voice. "Love." I figured he was still asleep and babbling. I disregarded his babbling. I touched his shoulder. He blinked. He was now awake.

"Your shift, Captain David." I whispered in his ear. He nodded and stood. I took the warm sleeping bag and pretended to sleep. I wasn't tired. The prospect of seeing Brian, oh how his name warmed my heart, again made me unable to sleep. I heard rustling and deepened my breathing, quietly pretending to sleep. Captain David would me mighty mad if he knew I wasn't trying.

I after a time, I heard him come closer, his shadow covering the firelight on my eyelids. He gently stroked my cheek. It was hard not to open my eyes and embarrass his mightily. He mustn't know I knew. He has his secret; I have mine. His hand moved to touch my forehead. He spoke in soft tones.

_"She will come from afar,_

_She will enchant your prince,_

_She will be beaten down,_

_She will hold her head up,_

_She will be an Amazon."_ I nearly broke my disguised-sleep after his chant was over. The words resonated in my head. For some reason, the words held a special tone in his voice. His warrior-toughened hand moved to caress a lock my auburn hair. It was weird, Captain David's affections, that is. To prevent any further breaches on social standards, I pretended to roll over, away from him. He sighed, stood and left my vicinity.

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I knew I should wake for Lilka. I should, I know. I couldn't, however much I wanted to. Soldiers paid by my soon-to-be-wife politely came to remind me of the impending marriage. Just one hour before the ceremony of binding was to be held, the soldiers came back, swords at their belts, as a reminder.

"Prince Brian," The leader said. "We are here to accompany you in place of you Captain of the Guard." Wait… _what_? Captain David would normally be my honor guard? "Are you ready?"

"I am," _for my death_. I added silently. I schooled myself. _Stop acting so _afraid_! She's just a power-hungry noble! Nothing big. You've handled worse. Come on! She her not afraid of her! She thrives on fear!_

"Good, we'll leave now, if that's okay?" The leader asked.

"It is." I said in a normal voice. I strode out, leaving behind even a small reminder of Lilka, the woman who had claimed my heart for her own.

--**(Think of this as those movie things, where they dramatically switch between scenes to put an emphasis on time.)**--

We had just arrived to see the palace guarded heavily. The soldiers, knowing Captain David, let us in quickly. They didn't question us or where Captain David had been. When we rounded a corner, we arrived at a guest room. Captain David shoved the package at me.

"Put this on quickly, Lilka." He said urgently. "Don't worry about what it looks like, just wear it. I'll explain later."

I went into the room, which was empty, and changed. The vest tied in front, making it easy to put on myself. When I looked in the mirror, I was clothed in a pure white dress. It was made of silk and bits of a cotton/linen combination. I stepped out of the room.

_-In the Cathedral-_

I was at the altar. Lady Sera, dressed in her silken dress, walked down the isle. The men in the chapel, all of them, had eyes on her. She wasn't unattractive, only a pain in the arse. Our eyes met. She had silent triumph, a small grin that could be mistaken for happiness. I knew my eyes held fury. I felt it. She saw the look in my eyes, yet never flinched. I knew she wouldn't. She was a devious court-lady. I heard faint sighs among the younger women. Surely, they wished they could too have such a wonderful "marriage".

My mother stood next to me with Lady Sera's father. The Holy Man looked at my mother. "Do you, Queen Autumn of Calain, approve of the union of these two people?" He asked. My mother met my eyes. She had correctly read the look in my eyes.

"I do." She replied in a dead tone.

The Holy Man turn to Lady Sera's father.

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I knew Captain David liked me. I had known last night. I pretended not to know. "Why am I wearing this?" I asked. It was a beautiful dress; I wasn't getting a new dress for any reason. He shook his head and we hurried down the hallway. I was silent; he held a pair of beautiful slippers. We arrived at a guarded doorway. When Captain David demanded to enter, they refused.

"Whose decree is higher than the Captain of the Crown Prince's Guard?" He asked haughtily. I didn't know he could be so commanding.

"Lady Sera, beloved of the prince himself." The guard replied. "She said no one is to enter."

"Lady Sera still stands below the prince!" Captain David retorted. "I have orders _from the prince_!" He stood in a commanding position. "I _demand_ entry!"

"I cannot let you in." The guard replied. The other one looked fearfully at his partner. Captain David noticed this and moved over to the scared guard.

"Then you two are guilty of High Treason. I'm sure you know the penalty for such a crime." The scared guard shook his head.

"N-n-no, C-c-Captain S-sir!" He shook visibly. The other guard shook his head at his guard-buddy.

"Oh, Guard Tomas." Captain David said, recognizing the scared guard. "I thought you were off-duty?"

"L-lady S-sera said all guards were required today." Guard Tomas said, saluting his captain.

"You are relieved, Guard Tomas." Captain David ordered. Guard Tomas nodded, visibly grateful, and left quickly, not wishing to incur the wrath of his captain.

Captain David turned to the other guard, who was gone. "When I say so," He said to me. "Go inside and yell 'I Do'. Alright?"

"Yes, sir!" I saluted. He stood, leaning into the door.

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I stood at the altar with Lady Sera, our hands joined. The Holy Man looked out among the audience. "These two have been approved by the parents of each family. They have come before you in holy wedlock." _Why isn't Lilka here?_ I prayed fervently to anyone that would listen. _Where is she?_ "They have come before you to be forever joined as one, never to part. If there is anyone among you that objects to this union, they must speak now or forever hold their peace. If you object, say so now." He paused.

Then, almost dream-like, the back doors swung open to reveal a beautifully dressed figure. Her auburn hair was down, barely brushed. Her voice carried thought the whole cathedral. "I do!" She said. Passions enveloped in her voice. She had no make-up, no nothing, yet she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

The Holy Man seemed surprised that someone had _actually_ objected. "Who are you, my lady, to object to this union?" He asked. Lady Sera was angry now. It felt so good so see her angry.

"I, my lord, am Lilka." She shouted. Many gasps were heard throughout the church. "That _thing_," She pointed an accusing finger at Lady Sera, my almost bride-to-be. "Enslaved me to get me out of the way!" More gasps were heard.

"You _filth_!" Lady Sera screamed. "You, a _peasant_, dare accuse _me_, a high-ranking _noble_, of such a crime?"

"I do." Lilka spat. "I have the bruises, the welts, the memories…" More gasps. If this were airtight, there'd be no air left in the room. "And the papers!" She was nearly to the altar.

"I second her accusation!" My voice rang out across the vaulted ceilings. "I was forced into this marriage by this power-hungry woman!" She took a step back; I knew it was all an act.

"My-my lord!" She wept, fake, of course. "Did you love-words mean nothing then? Were they shallow words meant to break a woman's heart?"

"No love-words came out of my mouth except to her!" Lilka was up to me now, and I held her with one arm. "I would sooner marry a snake!"

By now, the congregation was stunned into silence. Lilka turned to the Holy Man. "I'd like permission to marry Prince Brian," She said, I gripped her arm. Her appearance had rekindled the embers. It was like throwing oil on a fire, making it burn brighter than ever.

Now, the Holy Man was stunned too. He hadn't expected this whole thing. Lady Sera, however, wouldn't leave without a fight. "You betray your people, Prince Brian of Calain," She said in a ringing tone. "You marry a foreign peasant and dismiss a lady of the court based on the accusation of that peasant!" My mother stood at that.

"You, Lady Sera, are arrested on terms of threat to the royal family!" Guards appeared from all sides to drag the kicking and screaming lady away. I turned my face down toward Lilka. I pressed my lips onto hers for only the second time since I had met her and fell in love.

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Brian's lips never tasted so good. I held him longer than I ever thought possible. I opened my eyes, Captain David stood leaning up against the doorframe, watching my every movement. I barely saw his expression when Brian and I kissed. Somehow I knew it was envy, not that he wasn't happy for his liege, just that, I guess, he wished he was the one up next to the altar kissing me.

The Holy Man coughed. Brian and I turned toward him and we were wed.

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The reception, though the banners were wrong, was little more than amazing. Nobles of all types came and congratulated us. Some guards came and complimented Brian on "a good catch". I assumed that word of my challenge had gotten around, despite what Brian had tried to do. We danced a while until a maidservant came and told me that someone wanted to see "Lilka". I nodded, kissed Brian's cheek and left. The servant led me out of the hall and into a small meeting room. She opened the door and let me in, quietly shutting the door behind me.

A small voice came from one of the chairs. "Lilka?" It asked in my native language. "Or should I say _Princess_ Lilka?"

I turned, my white dress spinning. There, in the chair, sat my best friend I'd ever had. "Kayla?" I asked in our language. She stood. Her stomach had grown since the last time I had seen her, in my dream of course.

I could see tears running down her cheeks. "My Goddess, Lilka, that boat was too rough!" The edges of her lips twitched, trying to smile. I hugged her, in a very _Fr'ain_ fashion.

"I've missed you!" I said quietly. "How have you been?"

"Goddess curse me, Lilka, I wish I had your courage!" She said. "I barely made onto a ship!"

"I dreamt of you, Kayla, a few weeks past. I dreamt you were on the shore of the Isle. You spoke aloud-" She interrupted me.

"Wondering where you were and how you were faring." She ended. "Yes, I did. Goddess bless, I felt you there."

"When did this happen?" I asked, touching her swollen stomach.

"A few weeks after you left." She replied. "The Queen was not happy with you. Only two of our sisters got pregnant, the rest didn't." She sounded somber. "I'm so happy to see you, Lilka." She hugged me again. "I'm so sorry about what I said before you left. I was too obedient."

"Kayla, please, don't." I said. "I've already forgiven you. Come on, I want my best friend to join me at my wedding party!" I tugged on her hand, she didn't move. "What's wrong?"

She looked down at her clothes. "Lilka, I- I'm not dressed for it. And- and the women, they sneer, make fun of me for my baby." She touched her stomach.

"Well, tell them you have every right to be here just as they because you're the Princess's best friend!" I declared, tugging more on her hand. I light knock startled us so much that I nearly fell.

"Lilka?" I heard Brian ask. "You in here?"

"Yes, come in." Brian opened the door.

"_He's_ your husband?" Kayla asked me surprised. "The _Fr'ain_ I had to "seduce" before you left?" Brian looked at her quizzically, knowing she was speaking in my language, he had heard me speaking in an undertone enough to realize what she was speaking in, just not what.

"Do I know her?" He asked me. I nodded.

"This is Kayla," I said, switching to _Fr'ain_. "You met her before we left the Isle."

"Hello." Kayla said quietly. "I'm sorry for-"

"Don't be," He replied quietly. I leaned into him. "Lilka explained it all a while back."

"Surely you must be-" Kayla started again.

"Kayla," I warned. She stopped talking.

"This is Prince Brian of Calain." I told her. "Brian, this is Kayla, my friend from the Isle." I said, formally introducing the two. She never, I hoped, noticed my dropping of her title. Brian stuck out his hand for her to shake. When Kayla didn't put her hand out, I spoke in our language. "Shake it," She nodded and shook his hand.

"Would you like to join us at the party?" Brian asked. "I'm sure Lilka would love for you to come." Kayla blushed.

"No, um, I'm fine, really." She touched her stomach unconsciously. "I think I need to lay down." Brian looked at me and I nodded. He smiled and Kayla left the small room.

"She seems timid." He said, turning to me. I nodded. He leaned in to kiss my lips. I pushed up a bit on my toes to catch his lips before he thought he would make contact. I caught him by surprise. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tugged harder, forcing his lips onto mine. A polite cough forced us apart. The servant that had lead me away was there.

"'cuse me, my lord prince and my lady princess, but the nobles are a'wonderin' what you two are a'doin' away from yo'r party." I smiled.

"We'd better go back." I whispered. Brian nodded and we followed the servant out.

Immediately, we were engulfed by fanfare and dancing.

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The meeting with Kayla had been… _interesting_ to say the least. I remembered her face well, and how she had slandered Lilka's name. Apparently, the two women had come to a silent understanding, or what I _thought_ was a silent understanding. I lay back against the fluffy pillows of my bed and yawned. Today had been the best and worst day of my life, from here back, of course. Lilka came out from her dressing room in a light shift, meant for sleeping. Lilka, I didn't think, realized how low her neckline truly was. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.

I yawned again. "The women mentioned… _fascinating_ facts to me, Brian." She said from across the room. I crawled out of bed, forcing myself across the cold floor to the couch on which my new wife sat. I sat down and pulled her into a hug. She was shaking.

"Lilka, listen, I'll sleep here if you want- you can go sleep on the bed." I whispered. She turned on her side, her warm cheek pressed against my bare chest. She wrapped her arms around my neck and closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep. I put my head on her head and closed my eyes, trying to sleep. It didn't come.

Once I was sure she had truly fallen asleep, I lifted her smaller form. She was light, like most women; after all she _was_ lightly muscled. I set her gently on her "side" of my bed and pulled the covers over her body. Then, I took some spare blankets and slept on the couch. I turned over, trying to find a comfortable position. Weren't couches supposed to be comfortable? Finally, I took more blankets and laid them on the ground, on a rug, and curled up, sleeping peacefully.

The morning that followed my marriage to the Amazon Lilka was a sight to behold. I, a prince, was sleeping on the ground! I looked to the bed for my wife -oh how I love the word- and she was gone, along with the comforter on the bed. Soft breaths next to me grabbed my attention. There she was, curled up with her head under my chin and my arm draped over her side. My blankets were at my feet. Her comforter, my comforter, was over both of us. She was sleeping like a baby there in my arms. Her auburn hair was strewn around her in a fan pattern, forcing me to stroke it lightly.

Her eyelids tightened and opened. The eyes that stared at me were unfocused and dream-like. I lightly brushed her cheek, kissing it gently. "Morning," I whispered.

She shut her eyes and opened them again. She murmured something and snuggled closer to my chest and tried to fall back asleep. I set my face next to her and kissed her nose. She opened her eyes again. "You were shivering," She spoke softly.

I smiled and pulled her into a side-ways hug. "You were asleep." I replied, getting a smile out of her tired face.

She sighed and pressed her face into my chest. She spoke in whispers. "There was plenty of room on the bed." Her voice tickled, and I moved away, falling out of the blanket-cocoon. She laughed.

"Hey!" I accused good-naturedly. "You're supposed to be on _my_ side!" She sat up and wrapped the comforter around her, conserving the warmth.

"I _am_ on your side, my dear prince." She chuckled. "I _still_ allowed to laugh at you!" I moved over and poked her stomach.

"Nuh-huh," I replied.

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-huh,"

"Uh-huh."

"Gods! We sound like children!" I said, taking Lilka into another hug. She wiggled out. "What? Am I not allowed to hug my wife?"

Our good-natured joking vanished from her face as realization hit her. She gulped. "Did- did we _do_ anything last night?" She asked nervously.

I shook my head, knowing what she had to be nervous about. We both had a bit of wine, well, more than a bit but not enough to get a hangover. "No." I said. "That's why I was on the floor."

She visibly relaxed. "So… what do we do now? I've never been married before."

"Nor have I, my dear Amazon!" I replied, grinning foolishly. "But," I continued before she could freak out. "Curtsey dictates we take a few days off…" I trailed off. Again, before she could freak out. "To… do "newlywed" things." I used quote marks in the air. "But, I'm fine with whatever you want to do. We could sit around and play cards or a board game. Your choice."


	8. An Amazon Movement

**Nixiesocean: Wow, er, 4 reviews… It's nice and all but I was expecting a few more. Oh well, I'll deal.**

**Onto comments/questions:**

**_Lilyflowr33:_ That will be explained later into the story. I shan't divulge the information just yet.**

**Yes, someone did. I see Captain David as slightly older than Brian, one or two years, not much.**

**No, it's not. She's my recurring villain!**

**_minor:_ Well, thanks! I pride myself on that!**

**_hazeleyedbeauty:_ Are you saying that my story is short? I don't know whether to like that or not… Ah, well. Thanks for wanting to read more.**

**_Killer Bunni:_ Wow! You thought I'd end a story with only two chapters of rough times? Lol… no. There's more to this story than you know.**

**Shout-Out: Once I finish this story, I plan on writing a story for Captain David. You'll understand a lot then.**

**P.S. The Amazon language is modeled after German (since I'm in German 1 and _completely_ love the language.). No. It is _not_ German, just has German roots. If you look closely, you'll be able to pick out some German references (if you know German).**

_Chapter 8: An Amazon Movement_

I was nervous. I knew Brian loved me. Yet, I wasn't sure if this was what I wanted, to spend my life as a wife. I had to keep myself in shape. Brian would need an heir to the throne, something I couldn't provide. I was an Amazon. Amazons bear only women… I silently sent a prayer to the Great Warrior Goddess, hoping she would hear it, and respond.

"Checkers?" I asked, testing to see what he wanted. He nodded and brought out the game. We played for a while. Meals were sent in. A light knock roused us from the game. I had lost five in a row, a record even for me playing Brian. I got to my feet and got the door, opening it to reveal Captain David. "Hello." I greeted.

"Hello, Princess." He briefly looked at me, then back to Brian. Brian got to his feet and came over.

"Did you want something?" He, my husband, asked.

"Can I talk to you privately?" The Captain of the Guard asked. Brian nodded and He walked to a smaller side room. I went over to my old bed, the one I had slept in a while back. So long it seemed. I peered in. A woman was in there, unloading her things into my old room. She had just pulled my weapons from the closet. She turned, and saw me.

She dropped into a curtsy. "Forgive me, Princess." She said submissively. "I- the Queen told me I was to be your handmaiden." My handmaiden? I was barely married a day and I was already being fussed over?

"Well, I just wanted my weapons." I said, holding my hand out to receive them.

"These," She was handing them over. "Are _yours_?" I cocked my head; surprised that she didn't know I fought as a man would. "Pardon me, my lady, it wasn't my place."

"Oh, no." I said, shaking my head. "It's alright." I smiled. I had an extraordinary idea. "If you're going to be my handmaiden, you'll need to learn to spar with me."

"S-spar?" She stuttered. "But my lady-"

"Please, I'm nothing more special than you. Lilka, if you would." I said, I was chafing already at the use of a title. I took the weapons from her outstretched hand.

"Lilka," She was uneasy about using my birth name. "Sparring, fighting all that, that's a _man's_ duty."

"Do you know where I came from?" I realized I didn't know her name. "What's your name?"

"Kiera, my- Lilka." She dropped another curtsy. "And no, I don't know where you came from. For the people, 'foreigner' is an acceptable term."

I smiled a devious smile. "Get on man's clothes, Kiera. You're going to get a crash-course on Amazon fighting." She blanched.

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"Hey," A voice cracked. "Water!"

The guard turned. The prisoner's hand was stretched out, as if it was dying of thirst. The prisoner stood. Her extremely well formed female body attracted the guard. He turned to get water.

"Thank you." She whispered seductively. Her hips swayed back and forth as she shifted her weight back and forth. "Would you like a taste of it?" She gave the guard another luscious smile. The guard's defenses crumbled. This woman wasn't what the Captain had chalked it up to be. She wasn't the demon the Captain had said she was, she was a poor woman who was innocent of the crimes the prince and his wife had accused her of. Why was she in solitary confinement? She was innocent as a naïve bride on her wedding day!

He drew near the bars to hand her the cup of water. He could feel her hot breath of his neck. Her arms reached around his neck, her lips running over his through the bars of the cell. He dropped the cup and fumbled with the keys of the cell. He unlocked, slipping into the cage, panting like a lovesick puppy.

The guard had, in his haste, forgotten to lock the door. The woman had taken note, even while enticing the guard into coming in her cell.

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"-And that's the report." Captain David finished sadly. Brian sat there stunned. "Brian I know you're-"

"YOU LET HER _ESCAPE_?" Brian wailed. "That, _demon_, deserved _anything_ but another chance at freedom! Where is that hormone-driven guard? I want his whipped and sent home in shame!"

"He's gone. I got the report from the lunch-deliverer. He knocked on the door, instead of Lady Sera; Guard Michael came to the door. He unlocked for the guard, who briefly told the lunch-man what happened and left, leaving no trace of where he went or why." David quietly spoke. Brian's face had turned red when he told him supposedly how Lady Sera had escaped. She had "overpowered" the guard and taken his keys when he was handing her water.

"Gods damnit." Brian cursed. "We can't tell Lilka. She'll stalk the woman down herself. Right now isn't the best time for the princess to go act like a huntress-" That's when a loud crash brought both of them into the main rooms.

The new handmaiden, Captain David had said a woman named Kiera was the new handmaiden for Lilka, was lying over an expensive vase, a wooden sword in her hand and Lilka standing over her with her sword pointed at the handmaiden's throat.

"Dead." She reached down her hand. Both women looked at Captain David and Brian. "I'm training my handmaiden." She saw Captain David. "No, your men can't learn the secrets of Amazons." Kiera took her hand and stood. She spoke to her handmaiden. "Next time, we'll try an empty room." Both women smiled at the joke. "Dismissed. Meet me in an hour for lessons." Kiera nodded, both Lilka and Captain David, being warriors and quick of the eye, saw Kiera's smile. Perhaps it was a smile of content, maybe something totally different. Captain David cleared his throat. The sight of Lilka being mussed up, sweating and her hair undone, had spiked his emotion toward the Amazon.

"Brian?" He asked.

"David, dismissed." The Captain quickly moved to the door.

"I have one last thing," He stopped at the sound of Lilka's voice. "Captain David, I would like a troupe of guards to train. Women only." He nodded. The Captain opened the door and quietly let it click shut.

A woman smiled at the Captain, who never noticed her, then left. She slipped into the darkness, away from his too-quick eyes and ever-quicker hand.

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"_What_ were you _doing_?" I asked gently. I knew Lilka could easily overpower me in wrestling, she was more in shape. "You were _sparring_ inside?"

She cocked her head airily, like so many noble women. "I was making myself _useful_ while you males spoke of unknown business." She smiled. "Anyone who is a person maid or guard will be trained in the Amazon-style of fighting."

"We have _trainers_ for that reason." I pointed out. She couldn't endanger herself anymore than she should. I know she likes to act all tough, but, in those fleeting moments before she had been taken away, I saw weakness. I saw her pleading eyes, they tried to hide behind her silence, but they penetrated through her defenses. Lilka was as human as the servants.

"They'll train them too _you're_-style. I like Amazon fighting. It's a lot more efficient than swinging a sword around." She explained, picking up the larger shards of the vase.

"Yes, _but_, you're the princess now. Princesses don't train handmaidens and guards." I dropped to my knees, helping her with the smaller shards.

"_This_ princess does, my dear Brian. This traditional-style thoughts of women need to go. I'm not the like the women around here, save Kayla, Brian, _I'm_ an Amazon. And an Amazon I'll stay." She stood and dropped the shards into a wastebasket. "_Besides_, I _need_ something to keep myself occupied. I need things to look forward to each day." She turned on a heel. She walked toward the library. "Tell Kiera we'll be in here today." With that, she shut the door behind her, blocking me off.

I sighed. She was hardheaded when she needed to be, and soft when she needed to be. I went to the library's door and rapped lightly. "Lilka?" I asked softly. "I know you can here me. Your ears can here a cat two miles away." She was silent. Not that I expected her to talk. "I'm sorry." I left. I went out the door and down to the stables to curry my favorite horse. Captain David followed me quietly, I knew he was there, he knew I knew he was there. I didn't speak.

"My lord-"

"What?" I interrupted.

"The stables are on the other side of the palace." He was right. We were on the southern side, where the river flowed and the Royal Forests were lush. I growled under my breath and turned to curve back the way I came. Attempting to look dignified while the same servants saw me come back the way I came. I swear one snickered. I held my head high. This time, however, I didn't go to the stables, I curved to the left, heading toward the dungeon stairs.

"My lord, I don't think-" David started.

"I didn't ask you your thoughts, Captain." I snarled. Immediately, I felt terrible. I was stressed out about Lady Sera's escape, Lilka's trying to be helpful and most other things, like my parents' badgering that would soon follow my marriage. "Sorry, David," I said reverting to my informal term. "I'm really stressed."

Sometimes I wondered how he could still be my friend through all my tantrums and storms. Sometimes, I wondered how he could forgive me for my insults and shortcomings. Yet, even Lilka had overlooked them too. "It's okay, my lord."

"_Brian_, David. How many times must I tell you?" I turned from going down to the dungeons. I couldn't decide where to go. I couldn't go back to the rooms, Lilka would surely be angry with me. Yet, I did. I went back to our rooms. How odd the term "our" was… I lightly knocked on the door.

I heard that elegant, yet commanding tone call for Kiera to open the door. It opened. She looked over he shoulder and said something to the effect of _"Dre Pronz."_

What "Pronz" meant, I didn't know, but I knew Lilka had said something like it to Kayla. Lilka's voice replied. "_Aj."_ And I was allowed into my own rooms.

I smiled. "Thanks." She nodded, and with a curtsy, returned to Lilka's side. Lilka, with a wave of her hand, dismissed her maidservant. They had moved into the main rooms, which had small coffee tables that had papers with odd words written on them. I spoke first. "I'm sorry. I- it just won't be good is you get hurt, being a princess and all."

"I'm not going to get hurt, Brian." She whispered. "Since I got here, there's been nothing I could do, nothing that fit with me. Now, I've found something I can do with a passion!" She stood, touching my arm with hers. "Please, your women are so helpless! Do you know the number of women forced into beds without their consent in your nation _alone_?"

"No." I admitted. She, I guessed, had already known I would say that. "I don't."

"Too many." She replied. "Too many." She put her arms around me in a hug, which, I could say, was surprising. Considering, normally I initiated these tender moments. Her sparkling blue eyes looked up at me. I gently kissed her lips, reveling in their softness. Her lips pressed harder onto mine. Something wet touched our lips. I opened my eyes, Lilka was crying. Then, the pressure was gone. "Goddess, Brian." She said lightly. "I can't." She tried to leave, but I held her in my arms.

"What can't you do?" I asked, struggling with the woman I loved.

Tears streamed down her fair face. "Have a boy!" She whispered, like a secret. "I'm an Amazon. I can't have a boy." She lost all strength, I guessed, after revealing her carefully guarded secret.

I turned her around. "Why?" I asked.

"A- a pact with the Great Warrior Goddess, Amazons bear only women." She said, not looking into my eyes. "I'm sorry- Brian. Please, I can't-"

"What made you think I wanted a boy?" I lied. I did want a boy. But, I couldn't go off and marry some random woman just so a boy could be born.

"A male inherits the throne- women can't. I couldn't give you an heir. Please, let me go." She pleaded; her cheeks were soaked with silent tears. She pulled at my arms. Obviously she had her strength back now.

"Who told you that?" I asked. I pressed my lips onto her cheek, hoping to calm her.

"I read it in a book we had at our library on the Isle. Women don't inherit any thrones, except ours."

"Lilka, that law was changed over three hundred years ago." I said. "When only a woman was left alive from the royal family."

Finally, she looked me in the eyes. "It was?" She squeaked.

"Yes." I loosened my grip on her. She wrapped her arms around my neck, I felt her pull on my neck for support. I pressed my lips to the top of her head.

She lifted her head; her eyes were glazed from the crying. She kissed my lips. I wrapped my arms around her neck, pressing her lips harder onto mine.

_-Later-_

_Kayla looked longingly over the balcony, Captain David stood beside her. The night sky shone brightly over their heads and the sea was evident when one looked the same way as Kayla. "Were you and her friends?" He asked her._

_"Yes," She replied. "We still are."_

_"Where are you two from? I know you're Amazons, the prince never told me where he picked up such precious cargo." He said dreamily._

_"Why are you so interested in Lilka and I? We're nothing special. We're Amazons." Kayla looked at Captain David._

_"No." He replied. "You're the first Amazons to cross that sea in over two hundred years-"_

_"Since the Ancient Amazons, I know." She answered sullenly. "Think, if we had stayed there, Lilka would be pregnant, like me, and the child would never know her father."_

_"What happens when a boy is born?" He asked, suddenly interested._

_"They aren't." She said quietly. "The first Amazons made a pact with the Great Warrior Goddess. They would bear only women if the Great Warrior Goddess protected their Isle from the ways of men at sea."_

_"You know your lore well, Kayla." He complimented._

_"Thank you." She said quietly._

_"Do you know the last Amazon to cross the seas?" He asked sincerely._

_"Crei."_

_"Crei? The mother of Queen Katharine?" He asked, surprised. "Surely-"_

_"Crei, the Arms Mistress and Princess." She said. "She was legendary for her ability to wield weapons with ease even the best men couldn't beat her."_

_"You _do_ realize this messes up the whole structure of Furde?" He asked. "It's no wonder Lady Crei only bore Katharine, a woman."_

_"Yet, you say in your books, that this Katharine bore men." She said._

_"She did indeed."_

**Nixiesocean: And, yet again, we have an entwined story! I love doing this! Especially since this takes place _after_ Lady-in-Shining-Armor. So, now you have a sort-of epilogue.**

**P.S. I won't update unless I get five (5) reviews. Yes. I am marking down how many I have now.**


	9. Autumn's Rain

**Nixiesocean: So, I was surprise by how quickly I got 5 reviews, so here I am, updating IotA! Big reward for all those who reviewed::Hands out a plat of chocolate chip cookies:**

**Onto the Q&A!**

**_Lilyflowr33_::Innocent look: Twisted? Me?**

**_Sandra Starck_: Thank you, I have a pet peeve if the grammar is incorrect (you're using Word for heavens' sake! Use the spelling and grammar check!)!**

**It's not "cursive" but _italic_. And it depends when it is. Sometimes it's an accent such as "You did _what_?" But, it could be a flashback or dream, as in the end of chapter 8. It also could be a name, such as my italicizing your screen name.**

**I refuse to answer that question. Also, she _would_ know that she will have a girl because of the pact. Then again, the Amazons could be lying. I guess Kayla will have to have her child for Lilka to find out whether or not it could happen.**

**I'm so glad you caught that! Yes! "Dre Pronz" is "Der Prinz"!**

**Yay! Another reader for LiSA!**

**_Rush of Waves_: You _did_ have to change it, didn't you::Sigh:**

**_minor_: Oh, but is it? Is there another way I could've done it? I don't know, that's the way I wanted it to happen. So, that's the way it's going to happen (no offense intended, please don't take my tone too angry, more teasing).**

**Actually, I thought originally of this story as a separate realm of fantasy. I was thinking about the Amazons before going to bed, and this idea popped into my head. It's just, I thought my LiSA readers might be intrigued about Katharine's mother, and this fit in so nicely.**

**Also, I never said she spent the _whole_ day. That would mean that David and Brian were talking for at least a half-day, then Brian would have to wander the palace for another half-day. Isn't that stretching it a bit?**

"**Thying"**? Never heard of such a term. Could you explain that more?

**Don't worry. Captain David talking to Kayla wasn't random. It just looks random.**

**_hazeleyedbeauty_: Oh, I'm happy that I'm pleasing you with decent-length chapters. Any longer and I get _really_ bored and any shorter and I get _really_ testy about it.**

**Thank you, I pride myself on twists and turns.**

**Again, thank you. I'm glad my story is long enough for you to appreciate it!**

**Onto the story. Hopefully, this will please some readers…**

**P.S. your questions didn't affect the story. I was planning this already.**

_Chapter 9: Autumn's Rain_

Lilka was startled out of her dream. The sun still shone brightly, yet in her dream, that was ever so vivid, it was night. She rolled over to face the other occupant; Brian snored lightly. She gave him a loving look and lightly kissed his forehead before getting out of bed, making sure not to awaken him.

The floor was cold so she quickly picked up the random piece of clothing and dressed in a light "summer" dress, donning slippers to keep her freezing toes warm. She wrapped herself in a fluffy robe and snuck out of the servant's door she had used so long ago. She reentered the main halls, hurrying down them towards her friend's door. Of course, she had to ask a servant about where she was staying, since she didn't know. When she got to the appointed door, she lightly knocked. She saw Kayla's face appear in a crack in the doorway.

The door immediately opened. "Lilka! It's late afternoon, what are you doing?"

"May I come in?" Lilka asked quietly, Kayla moved aside, nodding vigorously. "Thank you." Kayla shut the door.

"What's wrong? I know that face." Kayla asked, holding her friend's spare hand.

"Nothing's _wrong_ per se." Lilka said deviously. "More like what's afoot."

"I heard about your lady project, Lilka." Her friend said seriously. "Do you think it's a good idea to teach these people our fighting?"

"Absolutely." Lilka affirmed. "These women are too helpless, they need to be taught they _can_ fight men and they _can_ win."

"You sound like you already are done." Kayla observed. "But, I have a reason to believe this is not _just_ a social visit."

Lilka hung her head, dismayed that Kayla had found her out so easily. "I dreamt." She said quietly.

"We all dream."

"This wasn't _just_ a dream, Kay!" Lilka said, astonished her friend would take her lightly. "In my dream, I dreamt about you and Captain David."

There was no mistaking the surprise in Kayla's face. "What… about us?"

"You were talking to him, you were looking out over the balcony, toward our Isle." Lilka remembered. "Captain David had questions… about me. About you, about Amazons."

"Did he say why, in the dream, that is?" Kayla asked absently.

"No."

"There's something else, Lil, what is it?" Kayla asked, touching Lilka's forearm. "There's a change in you, something _different_." Lilka blushed bright red. "It's Prince Brian, isn't it?" Lilka nodded, the blush never fading. "What – Oh, _that_." Lilka smiled while biting her lower lip. "I knew it, Lilka, I knew it." Her friend grinned.

"Oh, stop that!" Lilka playfully slapped Kayla's shoulder. "Really!" Kayla shook her head. "Come on, let's go eat." Somehow, Lilka knew she wasn't hungry.

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I awoke. The warm presence that had fallen asleep next to me was gone. I opened my eyes. The sunlight was dimming as it started to set, letting the moon rule while it slept. I curled around the covers, desperate for warmth. Finally realizing it was futile, I got out of bed, dressing up into normal clothes. I took out a comb and attempted to brush my lightened black hair. I washed out my mouth and headed down for… was it dinner?

I yawned and left my rooms, not noticing the small figure slip out the servant door. The hallways were already lit with candles. On my way to the dinner room, I met Captain David, who always seemed to know where I was.

"Hullo." I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "Any updates?"

"No," He said quietly. "None. The guard was found hiding at his parents' house, he's on his way here now."

"Good." I replied absently. "When's the sun to set tonight?"

"In two hours or so." My Captain said in answer to my question.

"Any minstrels scheduled for entertainment?"

"Yes, a bard." Huh… bards were decent enough. Not a piper, whose instrumentals always left me asleep, but not an orator, whose droning always made me wonder why they were used so often. Bards were a beautiful mix.

"Good." I replied. "Anything else?"

"Tonight is 'Honey-roasted ham with northern yams. Vanilla pudding and fresh fruit are dessert.' The cook said." He quoted, giving me the meal menu.

"Awesome." I said. We were almost there. We entered. Lilka and Kayla sat side-by-side speaking the elegant, yet harsh-sounding, language.

"Ah, the prince has arrived." My mother said in greeting.

"Good evening, Brian." Lilka said, standing and walking over. Something her and Kayla had talked about had made her more pleasant… She pecked me on the cheek and slipped her hand into mine. We walked over to our seats, David on the other side of me.

"Evening, sweet." The reaction was immediate. I had forgotten she didn't know about pet names. She was pleasantly surprised. Lilka, being herself, was rarely surprised. I brushed her cheek with my lips and the honey-roasted mutton was brought out.

Dinner had never tasted so wonderful. Then again, no breakfast or lunch will do that. The vanilla pudding was like icing on a cake. I could tell Lilka loved the pudding as much as I do. She and Kayla ate with gusto, as if they didn't eat fast enough, the pudding would disappear.

The other women of court were staring. I nudged Lilka. I nodded over to the women. She ate slower. She spoke to Kayla softly, then she too ate slowly, placing the spoon in her mouth and rubbing the pudding around, tasting the sweet mixture.

Dinner was over soon and the bard was brought out. I was expecting a she. Bards, due to the singing necessary, were mostly women. This was a male bard. He walked up to the queen and gently kissed her hand. She smiled gently at the bard who then mad his way to Lilka, and repeating the gesture of goodwill. She blushed. He made his way to the center of U-style tables. He sang in a melodic tune that floated through the air and caressed our ears.

"_Beautiful is a flower,_

_Gentle is a summer breeze,_

_None so gentle nor as beautiful,_

_As the lady of the castle._

_Beautiful is a still lake,_

_Gentle is a lamb,_

_None so gentle nor as beautiful,_

_As the lady of the castle._

_Beautiful is the sunset,_

_Gentle is the doe,_

_None so gentle nor as beautiful,_

_As the lady of the castle._"

The loudest applause was from the women of the court. The bard bowed and started another song. And another, and another. The whole thing took about an hour. We left, with Lilka's hand carefully entwined into mine. We silently stole away to our quarters, the near-gone sunlight dappling our bed. We slipped into bed and fell asleep.

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Two weeks passed after that beautiful day. Each day had grown steadily drearier as autumn rains poured lightly the next day; the gently harder each and every day after that bard had come. Each morning, starting a few days after the Bard's Day, as I called it, I had run to privy, being sick. I didn't tell the doctors, I was healthy enough without them bothering Brian about me. I _did_ however tell Kayla. She was as joyful as I was depressed. I had never been sick.

"_Lilka_!" She squealed. "Don't you _know_ what this _means_?"

"No…" I replied, totally confused. "That pudding," I had eaten pudding every day since then, though, I was still training Kiera on my fighting and language. "It's making me fat." I touched the "fat". It didn't wiggle.

"Incorrect, my dear friend." She teased. "You're _pregnant_!" I swear her voice jumped two octaves (it's a singing term, I was told when I asked once).

I felt the blood in my face drain. Pregnant? But- I couldn't! I couldn't train Kiera… I couldn't spar! I couldn't run until I was exhausted! "No…"

"Lilka!" Kayla reprimanded. "It's a _wonderful_ thing!" She touched her growing belly. "To think another person is growing inside you, it's a _wonderful_ thing!"

"Kayla- you don't understand," I said anxiously. "I'm _training_ people. I can't spar with this in my way!" I gently touched my stomach, willing it to bounce back like fat did. "What'll I do?" I wailed. "I'll _die_ of boredom!"

"Here's what you can do." Kayla said, setting an arm on my shoulder. She pulled out a scrap of paper. She wrote one word on it and handed it to me. "You can go back to your room, tell your husband and take it easy for the next nine months. When the babe is born you can go back to exercising and sparring. Until then, Lilka-" I was looking away. "Look at me." I did, not wanting to meet those knowing eyes. She gave me the paper and spoke. "Until then, you have to look out for this little one." She touched the swelling bulge in my middle. "Do I have a promise?" I nodded glumly. "Good. Now, what are you going to do?"

I sighed heavily. "Go back to my rooms, tell Brian and go to bed." I repeated. She smiled and gently pushed me to her door. I walked through the halls, not noticing servants or nobles. I followed where my mind told me to go, a path often taken for me. My room to Kayla's, Kayla's room to mine. My feet found the door to my room. I gently opened it, peering inside. Everything was in perfect order, even my stacks of books that I used to learn more about Calain. Then, I realized how _quiet_ it was. Normally around this time, I would find Brian sitting and playing an instrument.

I heard a muffled voice. I turned, to my horror; Brian was tied to a chair in the library. I hurried to him. Before I noticed the pleading in his eyes, two strong arms took me from behind.

"Well, well, well." A silky voice said. "Tut, tut. From what I've heard, you'd have never fallen for that age-old trick a week or so ago. Your senses are dulling, my dear servant-girl." I knew the voice. Before I could crane my head to see, Lady Sera's form came from the bathing room.

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My attempts had failed. Lilka had fallen into the trap, Lady Sera's devious trap. The one I too had fallen into. That time, however, it had been Kiera. The poor girl didn't know enough to keep her from being taken from behind, like my sweet Lilka. Lilka of the Eagle's Eyes the common folk called their princess.

I made a muffled attempt at speaking. Lady Sera heard it and came over, her hands reaching out to touch my cheek. I shook my head to keep her from placing her vile hands on me. "Your guard was no problem, Prince Brian of Calain. He desired me; I noticed that. All it took were a few words, a few gestures and he fell right in." She smirked. She untied the gag. "What do _you_ have to say."

"If you take Lilka again, so help me-" She put a hand on my lips.

"Tut, tut, Prince. I learned last time. I _do_ learn. No, this time, I'll leave your country in strife. Oh, yes, I'll take their dear, beloved prince from them. They'll be left with a foreign princess for the heir. Then, all I have to do is get rid of her, your marriage annulled, then you can marry _me_. And _we'll_ rule Calain." Her touched my cheek, I turned my head in attempt to bite it. As I turned my head, I saw the tears falling down Lilka's cheeks. A weakness.

"You power-hungry worthless chit!" I swore. As another man untied me, I kept talking. "You're nothing more than a commoner in noble's clothes!" To a _normal_ noble, that'd be enough of an insult to stay them. Lady Sera only laughed. "I bet you aren't even a virgin, you wh-" My mouth was roughly gagged again.

"Such naughty words from a prince," she laughed again. "We'll have to clean up that mouth of yours, Brian of Calain." She turned around and smacked Lilka. Obviously, she wasn't dumb enough to strike a prince. "Every time you insult, resist or any other form of resistance, your precious wife gets a lash." Such a harsh penalty she had given. Lilka had wiggled out enough to get a few words out.

"At least let me say goodbye!" She squeaked as the man's hand covered her mouth.

Lady Sera rubbed her chin. "Ah, yes, a passionate goodbye." She grinned evilly. "I can allow a goodbye." My gag was removed and Lilka released. She came over, leaning in for a kiss on the lips. Our lips had barely met when she was yanked back… but not before a scrap of paper was shoved between two fingers. I was thrown over a man's back and forcefully removed from the palace.

It would be a long time before I read the word on the paper. And an even longer time before its meaning would sink it,

The word, ever so simple, said, _Pregnant._

**Sorry this thing was so short, but, it was a _delightful_ place to stop.**

**I request another five (5) reviews before updating. When I get five (5) reviews, I'll post five days later. Each review above five (5) will make me update faster.**

**Thanks, have fun, and don't forget to review!**

**Nixie.**


	10. Toughen Up!

**Nixiesocean: You have _no_ idea how happy all these reviews make me! They make me all fluzzy inside! (yes, I know, "fluzzy" inside. But you know, I think Fluzzy _should_ be a word.)**

**It's so hard to respond to all these reviews. :tear: It's makes me so happy!**

**_Rush of Waves_: You know, you can tell me how _wonderful_ this chapter was at school, so, you know, I'm not going to respond… wait… I just did… crud…**

**_minor_: Thanks for the ideas! I'll keep it in mind. We all love helpful hints!**

**_Narnialover_: Er… thanks…**

**_Traceykiwilee_: Thanks, hopefully, I'll be able to slow this galloping horse.**

**_KT Liz_::Huge grin: Thanks!**

**_x-baby.doll-x_: I refuse to delve into such a sensitive topic! You'll find out soon enough!**

**_Sandra Starck_: Are you German? No problem, btw. I understand. German I is still a little bit confusing. Hopefully, my grammar is good enough for you to be able to read it easier.**

**_hazeleyedbeauty_: Hahaha! But cliffhangers rock! Though… I hate them too…**

**_Book junkie from beyond_: 1, I'm not telling whether or not it happened or if it's a premonition. 2, I'm _really_ sorry you can't read my story::tear, tear: 3, thank you!**

**Whew! Lots of reviews! I'm so happy for all of them! Congrats, reviewers, you have surpassed my other favorite story in reviews with half as many chapters! Yay!**

_Chapter 10: Toughen Up!_

I was on my knees, stunned. Surely, this was a dream, I would wake up next to Brian. He'd be there to comfort me with this dreadful nightmare. Surely, something this traumatic couldn't possibly happen to me. Not, me. I ran away from the other Amazons to escape being forced into reproduction. Now, I'm here, in Calain, a princess to a missing prince. I stood on shaky knees. Tears flowed down my cheeks obscuring my vision and probably turning my nose red. The birds, oh happy birds, chirped unawares to the tragedy that has befallen the royal family. They would sing such a sorrowful song if only they knew… oh, if only they knew.

I went to my, our, bed. I couldn't bear it. The sheets weren't made; they were strewn about, like Brian had been drug out of bed. I touched his pillow, there, on it, was a single strand of his hair. I gently picked it up, holding it ever so lightly between my fingertips. I looked down, there, a locket hung between my breasts. Brian had given me the locket the day after Bard's Day. I suspect her had it made just before I was so forcefully taken away.

The walls, that used to be a beautiful shade of blue, suddenly seemed dimmer. My eyes looked back to the golden locket with a spear and a sword crossing in an 'x' fashion. I touched it. I felt like if I concentrated hard enough, I could see Brian telling a smith what to make on it, I felt like I could see his face through it. His laugher was held inside it, pressed so I could hear it forever. I opened the small heart. I gently placed the hair inside on a clip. I shut it with a soft _snap_. I dried my eyes and wandered to my stack of books. Where had Kiera been in all this? Her room was untouched, save the practice swords and some sheets of parchment. I heard another muffled squeak from a small room behind the personal library. I believed that was where Brian and Captain David spoke so long ago…

I put my ear to the door, suspicious now. Nothing except stifled cries and pleads. Some were in my language. Convinced, I opened the door. There, in the darkness, sat Kiera. She was tied up with silken rope to a chair. Another silk piece was tied around her mouth. Her eyes were relieved at the sight of me. I went over, carefully taking the gag off.

"Lilka! They took the prince!" She squealed. She grew sorrowful. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know enough- they took me from behind. I couldn't fight. They took the prince. They have him, Lilka!"

I pressed a finger to her lips. She took the hint and quieted. I spoke in soothing tones. "_Peace_," I said in our language. "I know," I admitted in _Fr'ain_. "They used the same tactic on me." She was stunned I could be taken by surprise; then again, I was too. "They took him away. They plan to kill me off." She looked horrified. "Believe me, Kiera, I don't plan to let Lady Sera," she recognized the name, "Take the throne unlawfully. I'll need your help, and secrecy."

"Anything, my lady." She said. I was untying her. The goldenrod yellow walls were almost green in the dying light. "What is it?"

"In about six months, I'll have a major handicap." She said truthfully.

"Six months…?" She asked. Realization dawned on the handmaiden's face. "Oh, Gods, why now?" She moaned. "Not when you'll need to defend yourself!"

"That's why I'll need _you_ to teach my Women's Divison Amazon tactics." I said softly. "I'll need you to train them, as any good Captain, you'll need to descipline them, make them run like I did you." She looked unsure. "_Please_, Kiera. The only other person that could do it is pregnant too!"

"You mean Kayla?" Kiera asked innocently. I nodded. "I'm not sure I can… who'd listen to a servant?"

"Not any _servant_, Kiera, but the _princess's_ handmaiden!" She stood and grasped her arm. "I can be there, but Kayla told me I couldn't do vigorous activity, like sparring or running." I admitted. "I can help you discipline the women, but you'll need to do the real action."

"I will if you'll be there, _Faru_."

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I swear the princess has gone mad! Me, a handmaiden, teaching a bunch of raggle-taggle women to fight! What does she plan to do, wage war on the second most powerful noble family in all of Calain? Doesn't she understand what kind of civil war this could produce? I looked at the woman in question's pleading and desperate face. I could tell she _wanted_ this to happen. I brushed a lock of hair back.

"I will if you'll be there, _Faru_." I said quietly. Her look of triumph was unmistakable.

"_Thank you_!" She said in a hushed tone. "A day or so Captain David told me the girls were here, all thirty of them." Thirty! "Thirty is a typical Amazon attack group." She explained. "Come on," She tugged my arm. I allowed myself to be drug from the dark room and out into the hallway. She sniffed, trying to keep it from showing she had been crying. We stopped at the next intersection. "Do you know where the barracks is?"

I nodded. "Are they sleeping with the men?" I asked disdainfully.

"No," My lady replied. "They're in tents right now. A new female barracks is being built. I required it for my women." _Her_ women. Not at _all_ possessive! "Now," she explained, "Mornings will be spent exercising and doing sparring. Afternoons will be with me learning the language. You may attend too. Evenings will be spent sparring and exercising again."

I repeated the schedule to myself silently. "So," I asked wearily. "When do they get freetime?"

"Week-beginnings-"

"Sundays." I corrected. She didn't even glare at me.

"Sundays, and then only the mornings." She replied. _A half-day!_ She wanted to work these women to death! We just exited the palace. The sun shone brightly, as if all the days before were only a dream ago.

"Only a half-day?" I asked, trying to make sure she meant what she said.

"Yes." She said seriously.

"You're going to kill them, working them so hard." I replied.

"They'll need to toughen up, Kiera." She said, looking me in the eyes. I knew she was serious, the way her stare hardened.

"Yes, ma'am." I replied, giving her a typical Amazon salute. We had arrived in the females' tent-area. Women laughed and joked around the fire like men. "Here we are." There were _more_ than thirty girls here. More like a hundred. Lilka, my mistress, nudged me forward. "Attention," I said quietly. No one looked at me. I tried again. "Attention." About two people heard me and looked my way. Finally, with one look at Lilka, I breathed deeply and spoke. "ATTENTION!" I called. Everyone except two girls, who were still laughing, looked at me in rapt interest. I walked over to the two girls, both of which had no care in the world about me, or my mistress. "Girls?" I asked. It was all too easy to slip into this role… "Could you tell the rest of the camp what is more interesting than your first day of camp?" Neither looked at me. "GIRLS!" They heard me and turned, uninterested. "Is there something I said you didn't understand?"

"Yes," One giggled. "I thought we were being trained my an _Amazon._ Not a handmaiden!"

The other nodded her head vigorously. "Indeed, you look nothing like an Amazon."

I narrowed my eyes. Now was the time to start enforcing my rules, however uncomfortable it might make me. "So, you want to be trained by an Amazon?" I asked nicely enough.

"Yes." The first retorted.

"Really?" I leaned down, placing the palms of my hands on my eyes and making my eyes level with hers.

"I told you, _yes_." The girl replied. She seemed spoiled.

I stood erect. "Does anyone _else_ have a problem?" I called out to the camp. They stayed silent. I turned back to the girl. "No? Good. What's your name?"

"Mollie." She said, glaring so intently at me that if Lilka hadn't practically ordered me to do this, I'd be gone already. "Of Straese."

"Well, Mollie of Straese, you'll have to deal with disappointment." I said. "Drop to your hands and knees and give me five push-ups." She snorted. "DO IT!" She laughed aloud.

"You can't expect _me_, a lord's daughter, to drop to my hands and knees to a _commoner_?" She snorted. "You have some nerve!" She raised her hand to smack me. Lilka's training had quickened my reflexes, though they weren't nearly as sharp as hers. Her hand flew to smack my cheek. I grabbed it in my hand. "Let me go!" I held her hand tightly.

"Your princess has ordered me to teach you girls some Amazon fighting-styles. Now, if you can't respect my authority like Mollie of Straese, you can leave now." Mollie of Straese still couldn't get her wrist out of my grasp. "Now, _everyone_ drop and give me five!" Ten girls refused to get their hands dirty. Mollie and her friend were two. Lilka had taught me what the Amazons did with disobedient warriors. "You ten that are still standing, get against the wall, NOW!" They didn't move.

"We're not here of our own accord, _teacher_," The term was obviously derogatory. One girl, not Mollie, stood to speak, the girl had guts. "We're here because our mothers told us to. We've been here about a week doing nothing. We're fine with that."

"And today, my fine girls, that will change!" The others had finished their push-ups. "Give me ten!" They reluctantly started again, glaring resentfully at the still standing girls. "We're going to keep doing this until these girls will drop their pride and give me some push-ups!" Many groans were heard. "You ten, drop to the ground. Bury your noses in the dirt." Three obeyed. Mollie and her friend weren't among them.

"We won't lower ourselves to commoner's work." Mollie yelled.

"You'll have to learn to," I replied. "Because here," I was walking among the rows of girls who were doing push-ups. "There _is no status_. _Here_, there are no ladies, no wenches and no commoners. We're all women trying to prove to men that we can take a hit and keep going!" About ten girls had dropped to the ground with exhaustion. "GET BACK UP!" I yelled at one. She hurriedly got back up, her arms shaking from the effort.

"You're in no position to order _us_ around, _commoner_." A girl snarled, one of the seven that stood.

"I have _every_ authority, _soldier_." I replied, coming up to her. "Do you refute the order of your next ruler?" She was quiet. "Bury your nose in the dirt, like the other three." I told her, my face coming near hers. She dropped without a glace in my direction. Six still stood defiantly. The ten push-ups had been finished. "Ten more girls, six still stand."

"Ha! They're little sheep!" Mollie's friend mocked. "We'll not be lowered to such drudgery."

I came up to her. "Get down, bury your nose in the ground, _girl_." I used to term so angrily, I guessed she thought heartily about obeying. But a gesture from Mollie heartened the girl and she still stood. "Anyone who wants to get off easier better drop themselves to the ground and bury their noses into the dirt." Three more dropped. Mollie, her friend and the other girl who spoke with guts still stood. "You two, names."

"Calia of Damion." The gutsy girl said.

"Dyama of Straese." Mollie's friend spoke so softly, I betted Mollie had coerced her into coming.

"Mollie and Dyama of Straese and Calia of Damion, you are dismissed. Take your bags and leave this instant." Mollie sneered.

"You can't make us leave. We'll stay and we'll do what we want." She said, coming towards me.

"Mollie! Dyama! Calia!" Lilka's voice rang out. I almost glared at her for taking my chance to exercise authority. "Come to me." She spoke with such power; I wondered where she had learned to be so commanding. Then I thought about her missing husband- the prince. She _had_ attended those trials with him… The girls reluctantly went. Lilka was dressed in typical Amazon garb, something she had ordered made from the royal seamstresses. I looked back to the other girls. "Keep doing push-ups till we get back." There was one girl who admired me, I noticed. "Name?" I asked before leaving.

"Eya of Wayan." Wayan! The Captain had been from Castle Wayan!

"Are you related to Captain David of Wayan?" I asked.

"Yes, ma'am. He's my cousin." A cousin, eh?

"You're in charge, Eya of Wayan, until I come back, understand?" She emphatically.

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The three girls followed me. I had to intervene. They weren't the type I had asked for. Kiera soon came, jogging quickly to catch up. We entered the stables. I turned. They stopped, the girl called Calia bumping into the girl called Dyama who then bumped into Mollie. They lifted their heads. "Why are you girls here?" I asked.

"I'm here because my mother made me," Mollie scoffed.

"And you?" I asked Calia of Damion.

"I'm here for the same reason and Dyama and Mollie." She agreed.

"Ah," I noted Kiera standing the doorway, leaning up against the frame ever so lightly. "Well, I've got news for you three." I drew out a slender stick. "You can stay, and submit to Kiera's leadership _or_ you can leave quietly and not come back to this camp."

Mollie laughed a high-pitched laugh. "_You_ can't make us leave. If you looked more convincing, like the paintings we have of Amazons, maybe we'd obey you and the lapdog." She had guts, this Mollie girl. "I think it's high time you two _common_ folk drop the act and tell us the truth."

I knew how to react to such an insult. I'd seen Brian do it to some servants. "You are speaking to the Crown Princess, Mollie of Straese!" I informed her quietly. "And you speak lies, a thing I do not permit. I am an Amazon, from the legendary Isle of the Amazons. You will react your rash words or I will have to dismiss you in shame."

The reaction to my statement took a bit to sink in. When Mollie's eyes took in my features, she blushed. "Forgive me, princess." She said. "I was out of line."

"Indeed you were." I replied. "Now, will you submit to Kiera's leadership or will you leave?"

"We'll leave." They did, quickly.


	11. Demoted

**Nixiesocean: Announcement! I now know how the story ends::Cheer: The only problem: I don't know how long or most of what'll happen between now and then…**

**_An angel on ice_: Don't worry, Brian isn't gone forever.**

**_minor_: I realize that. I thank you for noticing as well. You'll understand in a bit. I know Lilka is still traumatized… we have yet to see more under her protective shell… I'll try and go through and add more details… I guess its easier for me to see it… harder to describe. Kiera'll being going through phases… right now I see her as obeying Lilka's orders. Once Lilka stops attending the training sessions, she'll find it harder to command.**

**_hazeleyedBeauty_: All, its alright. I understand… sleep good.**

**_lilyflowr33_: I know they brats. I had to put a wrench in the gears at least for a little while. I might have them come back…**

**Have fun reading (I've tried to put in more details!)!**

_Chapter 11: Demoted_

I walked among the hastily built tents. The female-barracks was still under construction. The oiled canvas was still rough under my fingers. Under my feet, the grass was starting to die with the onset of fall and the traffic this isle had earned. I peered around a corner. I could see a mass of women talking; this was our one-hour break before we went to learn language and grammar with the princess. Some women had objected to learning, thinking their fathers, brothers or male interests might object. The majority had quickly explained the situation, in detail, to this minority.

We had been given rations. I had eaten hastily. My forearms were sore from push-ups and my thighs and calves from running. Kiera, our instructor, had even run with us, keeping just ahead. Most women didn't make one lap of jogging around the palace. I did. Those many runs with my cousin had helped. I kept a scant foot behind Kiera, matching her pace. I was one of three that could. One was foot-messenger the other had a natural knack for running.

I had been surprised when Kiera selected me, out of the many women, to be a peer-instructor. I turned, trying not to be seen. I was spotted.

"Eya! Join us!" One of the women who had kept up called. "Anyone who can stay ahead of me is welcome." I turned; it was the foot-messenger.

"Thank you, but no thanks." I called. "I need to change and get ready for language lessons." One of the bulky women came over, holding my elbow. She gently squeezed it, inviting me, rather forcefully, to join the women at the fire. I met her eyes. I looked down at the dying, beaten-down grass. I yanked my elbow out of her grasp. "I _said_ no, in case you didn't catch that." I walked away, trying not to walk _too_ fast…

I didn't get far. That bulky woman grabbed my elbow, enacting upon it a _lot_ of pressure. "I believe Shelbi asked you to come over." Her bass-baritone voice said.

I narrowed my eyes. "And I believe I refused." Shelbi, the foot-messenger, came over once I repeated myself for the third time.

"I'll just tell you this now. _I'm_ the best runner there is in this camp. _I'm_ the most popular person in this came, and you'll come when _I_ tell you to come." She said, motioning to my captor to put more pain on my arm. "Understood? There are a few other women in this camp that _could_ keep up, but we've come to an understanding. You'll slow up, do less push-ups and you'll stay around the fire until _I_ dismiss you." I narrowed my eyes.

"Shelbi, you _don't_ have the most connections in this camp. My cousin in the Captain of the Prince's guard. My cousin is friends with both the prince and princess, should any harm come to me I should think that you'd have three _very_ powerful figures coming after you, _understood_?"

Shelbi's brow furrowed. "This is a camp of _women_. The Captain of the Guard and the prince cannot help you here. The princess is just that, a _princess_. She couldn't win against me in anything. She's a sniveling, lazy, suck-up."

I shook my head in pity. "You don't know anything, do you Shelbi?"

Someone knocked me on the head. I awoke on the ground, my arm painfully bruised. I realized it ached to even try and move it.

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I flung myself onto the plush bed. _It's a dream. Just a dream. You'll wake up soon. It's just a dream._ I pinched myself. It seemed in the epitome of my happiness; something had to come bring it down. Lady Sera, both times it had been. Brian would walk through the door and hold me while I told him the horrors of my nightmare. I would wake up soon. I would explain my fears to him, my confidant, my friend and my husband. When I squeezed my eyes tightly, willing them to open in a different situation, the secrecy didn't change. I cried.

Fat, saltwater tears. They poured heavily. Poured right down my cheeks onto the expensive fabrics that still smelled like Brian. That only made me cry harder.

I heard a knock on my door. Kiera opened the door. "Lilka? Your class is in a quarter-hour." I looked up. She obviously saw my tear-streaked face. She sat on the bed, rubbing my back. "Would you like me to teach them what I know today? You can teach tomorrow." I replied into the covers. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll only teach for you if I can fetch the queen for you, she seems to be compassionate. Besides, they'll have to find out sometime."

I sat up sharply. I had forgotten all about Brian's parents! The queen! How could I tell her that her son had been kidnapped? She would disown me, saying the marriage was null and void! She wouldn't allow me to stay in the palace; I hadn't even produced an heir! "Please, _no_. Kiera! She'll not let me stay for sure."

Kiera's face betrayed amusement. "You think she'll disown her daughter-in-law for having her son kidnapped? If anything, she'd fire Captain David for failing to _defend_ his charge."

I didn't want Captain David fired because of my inability to fight back. Kiera's face was pleading. "Fine, but only if she comes _alone_." I rubbed my runny nose. "I don't want everyone knowing I _can_ cry."

Kiera patted my back and stood. She walked to the door. "They already know you can." She whispered before closing the door.

I lay back down on the bed, tears flowing out my eyes and down the sides of my face. Why hadn't I been able to hear those men? They weren't stealthy; they hadn't even _tried_ to be silent! Why hadn't I broken the grip that man had on me? Gods! I pressed a pillow to my face, willing it to block the precious air I needed. I had caused Brian's kidnapping. The kingdom was going to unravel because of me, an ignorant foreign _girl_.

I had thought I was as good as the _Fr'ain_, even better than most. I had thought I could escape, detect lies and be the perfect woman-fighter. I had failed. My charge, Brian, had been kidnapped because I had been worried about our child. I wasn't worthy to even _live_ here anymore. I'd only remind the queen of what I had let slip. I stood, brushing the dust and tears off my Amazon garb. I picked out the necessities and wrapped them up in a spare towel. I had just reached the door when it opened to reveal a woman, a _Fr'ain_ dressed in beautiful garments. She had the same almond eyes, but blonde instead of black.

"Are you leaving?" She asked. "Kiera, your handmaiden, told me to come, that it was urgent."

"I-I'm leaving, yes." I quavered. Her eyes were compassionate and understanding.

"Why? Are you not wed to my son?" She looked around. "Where is he? I have not seen him all day."

"He," I started. Her eyes went straight into mine. I dropped the sack. "Lady Sera kidnapped him." I blurted. I dropped my eyes, unwilling to see the queen's reaction to the news.

"Kidnapped?" She repeated. I nodded glumly. "Why- How?"

"I don't know! I came in and was assaulted, Brian was tied in a chair and I fell for it, I went over to untie him and…" I trailed off.

"We have to tell someone. When was he kidnapped? Why wasn't Captain David there?" She rested her hand on mine. "Let's sit down." I sat in the nearest chair. When? Why?"

"This morning, after I had a morning chat with Kayla, who doesn't know yet, and David wasn't here because we were in our bedchamber." The queen nodded.

"You must distraught." She commented. I nodded, without really processing the question. I would wake up sometime soon. "How- how could you possibly be this collected? Most women I know wouldn't know what to do next."

"I don't know. I've been numb to this. I'm going to wake up soon." I repeated aloud.

"Lilka," She put her hand back on my shoulder. "I know you're more collected than any woman I know, but if we want to find Brian, we'll need you to be on your toes." Another question dawned on her. "If Lady Sera, if she fits the term, wanted to kidnap my son, why would she wait for you to witness it?"

"Because," I whispered. I was almost inaudible. "She wants to murder me and place herself on the throne as queen."

She, the queen of Calain, wasn't surprised in the least. "I could've guessed. Lady Sera, Goddess curse her hide, has always been power-hungry." This was the first time anyone had referred to _my_ goddess. Though, couldn't there be more than one? My brain was too scrambled this way and that to notice any resemblance beyond that one word. "From the time she came as a lady-in-waiting till the time I gave her a title."

"You _gave_ her a title?" I asked, incredulous. "As in she isn't noble by birth?"

"Nay, wife of my son, I gave her the title of 'Lady' before Brian," The word hurt more now than ever. "Was born."

"Could you remove the title?" I asked, now intrigued.

"If given enough evidence I could present it to my lord and possibly remove it, why?" She asked. Our eyes met. We were kindred souls, the queen and I. "I've got it." She realized my plan. "Word of Demotement travels _extraordinarily_ fast." She grinned. "Would you also like to send out an arrest for our errand lady?"

"No." I said. "She'll only go into hiding – taking him with her." The queen was surprised. "Let me explain." She nodded. "If you, I or the king were to send out an arrest warrant, she'd go into hiding, like any reasonable person. _Now,_ if we _don't_ send out an arrest, she'll be drawn back to the capital, and more importantly, the palace. Like a fly to carrion, our errant lady will come. Because, I'm sure she'll want to send men to kill me," To speak of one's life so nonchalantly was remarkable. I couldn't talk about my husband, but I could talk about my potential premature death. "And when those attempts fail, she'll come _in person_ taking him along with her."

The queen shook her head. "You're a devious one, Lilka." She said. She pulled out of the stack of papers a scrap piece. "What evidence do we have against Sera?" The queen had already dropped the title.

"One, threats against the Crown Prince and Princess." I started. I was surprised, the queen could write! "Two, kidnapping of the Crown Prince and Three, enslavement of a free person." I was _extremely_ relived that I had read those boring old law books in my spare time.

"I think we have enough," The queen said. She walked to the oak doors and walked out. She poked her head back in. "And if you think I'll disown you, you're terribly wrong." She shut the door. I growled and threw a nearby pillow at the door. She opened the door again. "Oh, and I _did_ get you out of your self-pity didn't I?" She shut the door quickly just as I threw another pillow at the doors.

I walked to the mirror and checked my face. My eyes weren't puffy anymore and if I put a bit of skin-colored make-up, I might be able to teach the tail end of languages. I put the required make-up on and walked out.

I headed down the halls and neared the "classroom". Captain David stood leaning against the wall. I breathed deeply. "I'd assume the queen told you already."

"She did." He replied shortly. "She told me I was to wait outside here until you came."

"And then? Shadow me?" I tried to enter the door. He laid his hand on the doorknob.

"I know you were awake that night." I gaped. "I know you saw me at your wedding." I swore my jaw was on the floor. He was even more aware than he had let on. "You must know that I still like you, but I know I can't have you." He seemed to be speeding up his speech. "I know you're faithful, you always have been." This was getting very weird. "I know you might want to repel me for fear, but I'll let you know, I'm open to speak if you need to, from a friend's standpoint." I was stunned. I couldn't speak with him on friendly terms, I'd know he had feelings for me; I'd be incapable of looking him in the eye.

A servant ran down the halls, interrupting our _oh-so-pleasant_ conversation. "Captain David!" He yelled from about thirty feet away. "Captain David!" He was about twenty feet away. "_Captain David!_" From ten feet he slowed his pace, coming up to us breathless. "Pardon me, Princess," He bowed. I nodded. "Could the Captain and I speak in private?"

David turned to the servant. "She can stay, I'd tell her regardless." The servant was obviously uncomfortable, but complied.

"Your cousin, Eya of Wayan is in the infirmary," David's eyes grew twice the normal size.

"Why? How?" He asked. Wasn't Eya in the Amazon group? Didn't I recognize a woman that looked similar?

"A concussion and a broken arm." The servant says. "Had Shelbi of Derva not brought her to the infirmary, your cousin might've been seriously damaged."

"Shelbi of Derva?" David asked. "The foot-messenger? Wasn't she famous for winning the footraces every year?"

"Aye, that same one," The servant confirmed.

"I'll come." I interjected. "Eya is too careful to be so easily injured. We haven't even started sparring yet."

"We?" The servant queried, he then realized he was speaking to royalty. "Your Majesty."

"Princess Lilka is spearheading the women's training." David explained.

"Oh." The servant said.

"Take us to the infirmary." I ordered. The servant jumped to obey.

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Lady Sera stood outside a closed gate late at night. She had been forced to get _out_ of the carriage when the guards refused to open them. "Open up!"

A guard poked his head out. "Why should we? Curfew is sunset! Come back tomorrow morning."

"You are speaking to Lady Sera of Geraln!" She called out into the night.

"Who?" Another guard asked.

"Lady _Sera of Geraln!_" She called back.

"Sera of Geraln?" The first guard asked.

"_Lady_ Sera." The angry woman corrected.

"Really? We have a paper saying you're no longer a lady, Sera of Geraln." The second guard yelled.

"_What_?" She had forgotten about that particular law.

"Aye, this very morning the queen and king announced that Lady Sera of Geraln is Demoted to commoner status. _'She no longer is considered noble by any standards'_ it says."

Sera grumbled and turned around. Brian was smugly smiling. "Shut up." She ordered.

"I think you've forgotten that we're now two stations away." He replied. "So _technically_ I could have you imprisoned for offending me."

"You'll see no one till the men kill your pretty songbird."

"_Songbird_?" Brian laughed. "More like a panther, or a tiger." Legendary animals they were.

"Nay, she's a little brat." Sera countered.

"Little? I'd say now she's either started Amazon training to send after you or is _thinking_ about sending people after you. My father, we've heard already, is furious." He mocked. "Know how many nobles have been Demoted since that law was instated?" She narrowed her eyes. "None. And that law is two hundred years old." He whispered. "How does it feel to be the first?"


	12. Time

**Nixiesocean: Nothing important from the _wonderful_ author. Onto the responses.**

**_simplegrl007_: Thanks, it was decently hard to come up with that scene, however much I enjoyed it. I had to have Lady Sera's (Sera, now) ego in it, but keep and element of humor.**

**_Narnialover_: Maybe… if Eya survives (bwhahahaha!) kidding. She'd have to have a _really_ weak skull to die from a concussion, though I suppose it's plausible for the time period, which I see as medieval.**

**_lilyflowr33_: I thought so myself, really.**

**BTW 'He' or 'him' can also be used when gender is unknown. You'll understand as you read.**

**Also, I'm so sorry about how much this chapter jumps around, but I had to. It fits better, I think.**

_Chapter 13: Time_

We followed the servant rather quickly. Captain David was in a rush to get to his cousin's side. The servant wasn't in much of a rush, though Captain David kept going ahead. Had I not been there, he might've sprinted the whole way there. He allowed me to stay just behind him. The servant, if he was surprised the princess would _run_ to her husband's captain's cousin's side, he didn't show it.

We burst through the infirmary door. The doctors looked up briefly. They then went back to their work.

"Where is Eya of Wayan being treated?" Captain David asked aloud. A nurse beckoned us off toward a separate room, probably used for nobles who refused to be treated with "commoners". It took me a bit to realize _why_ Eya was being housed in a Noble's Room. She _was_ a noble.

Captain David took a seat, me taking the others. I motioned for the nurses to leave. The pale blue walls, I guessed, were considered remedial. Soft clouds dotted the walls, making one peaceful.

He took his cousin's hand in a gesture of pure caring. So he _did_ have a soft side, one much different from the one he showed me. Eya's eyes fluttered, as if she knew he cousin was here to comfort her.

Her eyes opened slowly, they also slowly adjusted to the light of the room. "David?" She asked quietly.

"I'm here, Eya." He whispered, patting her hand. I watched this interaction silently. "How are you?"

"Better, I guess." She replied. "Why am I here? I fell in the Camp."

"Shelbi of Derva." David started.

"Interesting." Was all Eya said.

"Why?" He asked.

"She just is, well, self-centered I'd say." She said kindly.

"How'd you get hurt?" David asked, leaning forward.

"I-" Eya cocked her head, as if thinking of the right thing to say. "I slipped."

"Backwards?" Her cousin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You can fall backwards!" Eya said defensively.

"_And_ you managed a broken bone?"

"It's broken?" Eya asked, looking at her wrapped arm. "Did they numb it?"

"I think so," The Captain said. "Why?"

"Because _I_ can't feel it."

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A messenger, cloaked in a dark color, dashed across the plains, his cloak flapping in the growing wind. He pushed the already sweating horse harder. The sky passed along, the rider never stopping for food or drink. The messenger arrived at his destination. The guards never looked twice at the rider. He passed through, slowing the horse to a fast walk. He passed many useable inns. He saw the sign of one and entered, loosely tying the near-dead horse to a spare hitch. The bartender waved the rider to a table next to a corner, deeply imbedded so the talkers could speak in privacy.

Before long, another person entered and sat at the table. The first unknown turned to the second, speaking in a low voice. "The eagle flies while the peacock cries." The second messenger nodded and left, leaving the inn so fast the other patrons never noticed either person. The second continued along the road the first had come, pushing the horse just as hard.

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Brian opened the small piece of paper Lilka had so quickly shoved into his had (he still had a mark from it, but he treasured it). On it was one word. _Pregnant_. He guessed his wife had wanted to come tell him that day.

Everything clicked, why she hadn't been more aware, why his attempts failed, she had been too worried for him, or the child. From all he knew about her, he'd think she'd be angry about it, but she had seemed glowing when she entered the room. There was only one thing he could do: escape.

But how? Sera had effectively locked him up. He was sitting in a small room, one well furnished, but bland. There was nothing in it the prince could possibly use for any leverage. He was as good as jailed. He kissed the paper and put it back under a seat cushion. Sera could use it for any leverage, including unfaithfulness.

Sera entered the room. _Speak of the devil_. Brian thought to himself. She leaned up against the door.

"It'd be _so_ much easier if you'd just marry me." She mused aloud. "You could get out, move around, anything you want."

"And it'd be so much easier if you'd just let your power scheme go." Brian retorted. "You heard the news, ten girls already left Amazon training, and it's said they were driven too hard."

"Your peacock is dying of grief." Sera replied. "It'll be easier to kill her off that way." Brian was hard-pressed to keep his composure. He had to leave before Sera could enact her plan.

"And how, exactly, do you plan on doing that?"

"Simple," Sera replied. "A person hides in her room-"

"And stabs her in the back? That's the lamest plan in the history of power conspiracies!" Brian laughed aloud.

"I think you've forgotten you're a prisoner, Brian."

"I think you've forgotten I'm a prince." He replied. "I'll never, _never_, marry a bar wench!" Sera drew close, her fingers twitching.

"You speak of things you know nothing of," She stormed out of the room.

_Score! Brian, one, Sera, none._

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Eya spoke in a whisper. "I've told you, I fell!"

"Fine," Captain David said. "But I'll find out who hurt you, and they'll pay." He moved out of the room, leaving me leaning up against a wall, sometime between the start of the conversation and now, I had gotten up and moved around.

"You can tell me, Eya, I know what you mean. It happened to me with archery." I replied. "I won't exact revenge, there's competition in _any_ training, sport or otherwise."

Eya looked me in the eyes. I guess she saw honesty because she spoke. "Shelbi of Derva."

"The same one that wanted fame for helping you to the infirmary." I shook my head. Power games were everywhere. "When do you think you'll be able to come back?"

"I'll probably be okay in a few weeks. I doubt the nurses will let me use my arm though. I'll still do runs."

"That's good." I replied. "You've heard then, that ten girls have already left?"

"I have, rumor spreads quickly." Eya said. "I won't leave you, Princess."

I smiled. "It's good to know you won't. You're as faithful as Captain David."

She returned my smile. "I'd guess it runs in the family. Did you know my aunt and uncle boycotted the prince's forced wedding?"

"I didn't!" I said, surprised. "Why?"

"Because my cousin sent them a message before he left so suddenly." Eya whispered. "They listened to him, defying Lady Sera!"

"Who really isn't a noble any longer." I reminded the young girl. She couldn't be any more than fifteen. "How old are you?"

"I'll be fifteen years in December." She replied.

"Any men take your fancy?" I asked.

She blushed. "No." I suspected so.

"Ah, it's a shame." I replied. The thought of men reminded me of what had been taken. My love. I thought of Brian, of where he might be. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. "Men folk are nice."

"Could you teach me your language? I missed lessons today." I sat down and started teaching the fourteen-year-old my native language.

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Brian opened his eyes. It was lightless. His tried to move his hands. They were bound. His feet were also together. A nasty tasting cloth was inside his mouth. He tried to spit it out, as soon as he did, it was shoved back in. He spat it back out. It was shoved it back in.

The wagon bounced around, bruising his body. He slowly fell asleep, the bouncing around never really allowing him real sleep.

_A familiar figure walked around, pacing the rooms. She would occasionally stop and mark something on the paper on a desk. She'd continue pacing. As the phantom-Brian neared the floor, he saw small tears leaking out of Lilka's eyes and down her beautiful cheeks. The sunlight streamed through the window, lighting up the room he used to live in._

_A small person crouched near the bed, keeping well out of sight. The person jumped us as her back was to him. The dagger was drawn and-_

Brian awoke with a start. He shook his head. _It was a nightmare_, he tried to convince himself. _It isn't anything to get worked up about. Lilka can take care of herself. Sera won't win this! She may've won this battle, but she won't win the war!_

Brian slowly fell asleep again, dreaming of what could be done with Sera's plans.

-_Two months pass-_

Eya sparred with her partner. They danced a fleet-footed dance, one the kept you on your toes, literally.

"All right girls!" Kiera's voice called over the clashing sounds of wood-on-wood. "Stop and stretch." Slowly, the crashing stopped. Though no one stretched.

"Why?" One called. "The princess isn't here today, we just need some down-time." She'd probably be the next to leave. Their numbers had dwindled to just over forty. Eya dropped to the ground, slowly going through the stretches. She was _committed_ to this. A few others started as well.

"Because_, Cyva_, I'm the trainer, and you'll do as I say."

"We don't need to impress anyone." Cyva said. "No one needs to sweat so much."

"All right, girls, five laps, we won't stop until Cyva here is convinced we still should work." A few moaned, all but Cyva's closest friends started laps. She'd defiantly be locked out of the barracks tonight. Shelbi, too, had tried to stand up. She had eventually left late one night.

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Sera screeched. Brian was gone, escaped one night. He had gone undetected for two days. Somehow, he had gotten his hand free of the ropes and free of the gag. He stole a horse and escaped toward town.

An informant of Sera's had caught him. Brian cursed the man.

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Brian was tied up again, this time to a chain ball that had a lock. It could only be unlocked with a key on Sera. He sighed, resigned to trying to pick the lock with pieces of his hair tied together.

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Kayla sat with her best friend, Lilka. She looked nervous and grief-stricken, as always now that Brian was gone. "My only point is, Kayla, why did Lady Sera get jealous with me, even before I knew he," Lilka never spoke her husband's name for dear of incurring some sort of bad luck upon him. "Liked me? I wasn't even a threat!"

She reached out her hand. "Friend of mine, I don't think you realize how truly beautiful you are. Any man would be attracted to you," She pressed her other hand on her chest. "Unlike your average friend here."

Lilka smiled, a rarity. "You know how far this beauty, if you can call it that, got me? It got me a husband and a heartbreak."

"You're strong enough," Kayla whispered. "You're so much stronger than me, look! I'm pregnant by some man I only know the name of, you're pregnant by a man you're in love with, who could ask for more?"

Lilka looked downcast. "I could ask for my husband back, safe and sound."

Kaya's other hand clasped Lilka's spare shoulder. "The Goddess looks out for her daughters, you're a blessed one. I ran for my life, not for wanderlust."

"I ran because he intrigued me, not because I yearned for a life outside the Isle." Lilka denied.

"You _ran_ and jumped onto a moving _boat_. You refused to be with child over morals. Look at me. My morals are nothing like yours."

"If I wasn't so moral-driven, maybe I'd already have a child of my love's."

Kayla shook her head. "If you weren't so moral-driven, he would've never married you."

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A bright light erupted in the night sky, tossing lights into the sky and throwing it far away, like a child throwing toys. The whole household stood outside, most not believing what they saw. One last person ran out, holding a small child. They whispered to the person next to them, passing the word down the line.

It reached the owner's ears. The owner only stared into the fire, not letting any emotion show. The owner turned to one of the household's messengers, whispering the message into his ear. He nodded glumly, taking to his horse and riding off into the night sky, blindly pushing the horse to its limits.

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Lilka slept soundly in Kayla's bed; she had cried herself to sleep over her loss, though Kayla thought she was going a little over-board on the grief. Then again, the second Amazon had never felt the ties of love, only pure trust.

A servant lightly knocked on the door, Lilka roused, opening the door to Kayla's strong objection. He poked his head in.

"Princess?" He asked. She nodded, wiping her eyes. "May I come in?" Again, the princess nodded.

The servant somberly entered. "I'm sorry, but," His voice choked. "But, Prince Brian is dead."


	13. The Princess' Grief

**Nixiesocean: Wow. Uh, I knew people would be mad… but this was amazing! Not the anger, but the number of people that review when I kill people off… **

**Onto the replies and the ever-important story!**

**_simpleGrl007_: (evil grin) hahahahha! You shall never find out!!! Sera is perfectly happy now that he's dead. Since Brian wouldn't marry her, what better way to see the kingdom disrupted than to kill him off in a fire? After all, he _was_ locked onto a large stone ball…**

**_An angel on ice_: (sigh) I hate replying to such saddening reviews! Believe me, (as the author), Calain was better off without him… (see the angry mob beginning to form) Ah! Okay! So He was the hope and dream of Calain, but I really couldn't have a repeated scene!**

**_hazeleyedbeauty_: Did I really make you that mad? Wow… I mean, I know I made my friend angry by killing him off, but sheesh! (Sees the chocolate) Hmm… maybe I could be persuaded… (gets a supecious look) no! I mustn't! I cannot! Ahhhhh! (coughs) Um… maybe Sir Gaeven will cheer you up. He's a nice guy.**

**_Narnialover_: … um… I'm quite certain he died in that fire. Have you ever tried picking a lock with your hair? He doesn't have hair made of steel you know…**

**_TraceyKiwilee_: Um… read above?**

**_kyra-maRia_: Thank you! Maybe you'll bear with me through the end?**

**_Kaity_: Did I say I was tired of it? In any case, read and savor the flavor of text… it's very healthy I'm told…**

**BTW:**

**This is a _very_ depressing chapter; I have to tell you that now. It is _extraordinarily_ depressing. More so than the last one.**

_Chapter 13: The Princess' Grief_

If one thought the princess' grief was bad after her husband was taken from her, this was twenty times worse. Kayla observed this from a distance. Lilka only stared at the man who had brought such disastrous news.

"Your majesty, I am sorry to have brought this news, but-" He started.

"He's not dead, he can't be dead…" She mumbled. "He promised me. He did. The wedding…" She continued. She stared off into blackness. "The child…" Lilka whispered. She put a hand to her stomach. "What of the child?" She hadn't known she was mumbling in _Fr'ain_. She had been away too long, to speak unconsciously in a foreign language.

"The… child, your majesty?" The serving man asked.

"What will the country do? He was a wonderful man, my husband. What of me? A woman?" This was the first time Lilka had doubted her ability, so Kayla thought. _Lilka_! The strongest of the Amazons! Doubting!

"Lilka," Kayla whispered in their language. "Lilka." Her friend didn't look at her, she only kept to herself. Kayla looked at the serving man. "Leave us. Tell no one of what you heard or it shall be _your_ head as payment for a loose tongue."

He gulped, nodded and quickly left. "Why me, Goddess?" Lilka shouted. "Take some other fool for your games!" She held her hands skyward, tears streaming down her cheeks like rivers.

"Lilka, Lilka." Kayla whispered. "Lie down a while." She gently guided Lilka to her bed. "Sleep a while, Lilka."

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Eya clashed swords with her sparring partner. They had grown stronger, faster and leaner. Their muscles had swollen, then toned down once they had gotten used to the different style of fighting. Many women had already left, dwindling their numbers to just over thirty.

She concentrated on the sparring. Suddenly, birds took flight. A scream tore through the sky. A heartfelt, cry of anguish. The thirty or so women stopped and stared at the source of the noise. Kiera looked up also, confused.

"Eya, take over." She commanded. "Girls, you had better be sparring when I get back." They spoke in the Amazon's language all the time now, only speaking in Common when they weren't around Kiera. Eya nodded. She took the lead, stopping to stretch every so often when their muscles tied up. Once Kiera saw they were fine, she left, hurrying almost to a sprint. She was worried.

So were the women.

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Captain David, too, heard the cry. He knew the source of the cry. Lilka. She had found out. He could imagine her face, streaked by tears and distressed. All information went through him. He knew.

He put his head down on the table, his temporary desk. His friend since childhood, dead. His prince since birth, dead. Suddenly, wooing Lilka was irrelevant. She wouldn't want anyone trying to marry her so soon. She'd only recede more into depression. He couldn't find the will to cry. His troops would laugh, telling him he was too feminine. He only took out a sheet of paper, writing down the declaration the king would have to say. He could only hope the queen didn't recede more into shock than Lilka probably would be in right now.

Lilka had never seen death.

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When the queen of Calain heard the news, she too couldn't believe it. "But how?" She mumbled. "He was a wonderful fighter, how was he taken?"

The king of Calain hugged her close, rocking her slowly back and forth, back and forth. She cried. "Sweet," He whispered. "It's all a rumor. These things happen, I'm sure. Sera is only trying to get power. He isn't dead, sweet." The king was saying this more for his own reassurance than his wife's. His wife wasn't even listening. She was too busy crying and wondering aloud. He rubbed her back, trying to coax her into a soothing sleep, much like Kayla had done to Lilka.

When two days passed without any word of Brian's life or death, death was taken as his fate. Lilka wouldn't come out of her rooms; the queen wouldn't eat or drink. Not even the king, the queen's most trusted person, could force her to eat. Lilka did eat, but only for the sake of the child she was carrying. The Amazons-in-training were clashing swords harder than ever, trying in vain to make their leader forget her worries. Kiera hardly ever came to practice; she was too busy mourning with her princess. Eya became the new drill instructor, and the girls listened, completely understanding the princess' grief. The whole country was in mourning. It seemed even the weather was keening the loss of the prince. It wasn't sunny or warm. Every day was cold and rainy. It was like Mother Earth was crying out.

Another day passed and the queen was dying. Some said of grief, but the medics knew it was from a more earthly thing. Lack of food and water. The kitchens had been hard at work trying to tempt the queen into eating. Not even the peasants cared that the taxes had been raised to import exotic foods. They wanted their beloved queen more than earthly monies.

Another day passed and the queen died. Lilka was thrown into another bout of tears and refusal to leave. Captain David had long since given up trying to make her come out into the fresh air. Kiera too, was in mourning. Eya cried at night, far from the safety of the forests, away from the other girls, who would tease mercilessly. They understood the princess' grief, but that didn't mean they cried openly.

Eya was far from the Women's Barracks one night, crying along in the trees. She had found a small cave and cried in it, etching into the wall the number of tears she cried. A twig cracked and her fine-tuned ears caught it. She drew her knife, crouching low. If it was a bandit, she wouldn't go down without a fight. She'd kill herself first.

The man, with a scraggly beard, stumbled into the cave. He didn't see her, in a corner stooped. She was on her toes. She slowly moved around, keeping to the shadows, just as she had in her old manor-house-castle thing. When she reached his back, she silently slid the knife across his throat.

"Speak if you wish to live." Her heart was hardened. It _had_ hardened. He shook visibly.

"Please, miss, I- I just wanted a place to stay!" He said quietly. "I've been walking a long time, and I needed a safe place to sleep."

"Who are you, to disturb my mourning?" She hissed.

"Mourning?" He queried.

"The whole country is. Are you daft? Prince Brian and his mother are dead, why wouldn't we mourn?" She responded. "Speak!"

"Miss, please, I'm Sir Gaeven. I've come from a long ways off…"

"Where? We'll take no spies!"

"I've never heard a woman so demanding!" He said hoarsely. "Why are you not a damsel in distress?"

"Because, Sir Gaeven, I'm an Amazon-in-training, and you'll speak to me as such!" Eya said, tightening her death-grip on him.

"Sorry." He said. "Sorry!" She loosened. "I've come from the country, the boondocks, if you will. I hadn't heard that the country was in mourning," He breathed deeply. "For the prince and his mother, Goddess rests their souls."

"You're forgiven, Sir Gaeven, but I don't think the king is taking any new knights. After all, his wife just died." Eya told the stranger. "You might want to think about walking to another kingdom."

"Why, my lady?" he asked. "Calain is the most beautiful by far!"

"Not anymore, sir knight. Calain is dying of grief, along with the royal family. Rumors float around that the princess is going to leave as soon as her baby is born." Eya clapped her hand to her mouth. _Curse it!_ She thought to herself. _I've let the secret cross my lips! Goddess strike me dead!_

A motherly voice responded to her plead. _Eya, my child, you're far too useful to merely strike dead for this minor inconvenience. Nay, child, you'll live._

She was too surprised to respond. It was her mind playing tricks on herself. It wasn't anything special, She attempted to convince herself. Something inside her told her it wasn't anything a human mind could imagine.

He was confused about Eya's sudden lack of aggression. "Leave? Why?"

Eya sighed deeply. It was a daydream. Nothing worth noting. "Sir Knight, I shan't answer any more questions. I must be back to the palace by midnight." At that precise moment, the church bell rung. Eya counted the dongs of the bell. Eleven. It would take her a half-hour to be back to the palace if she walked, a quarter if she spirited.

"I believe it's one hour till midnight, my lady." The knight replied. He shifted uncomfortable.

"Let me make on thing perfectly clear, _knight_, if you so much as _breathe_ a word of that rumor, I'll strike you dead myself. Understood?" She felt his head moved. She took the knife from his neck and moved around to face him.

Something in his face told her knew her face. "My lady, you look like someone I knew." He said quietly.

"Who, if I may be so bold as to ask." Eya said absently. She wanted to know what he wanted. Something wasn't right, and Eya couldn't place it.

"I can't quite recall his name." The knight said. Eya refused to give any hints. It might put her cousin in danger. "Ah well, my lady. If you could show me to the castle?" He said, standing.

Eya suddenly grew suspicious. "And what, pray tell, can you want in the castle?"

"I can work as a guard, my lady. I need work." He said, sighing. "My previous liege threw me out after I was suspected of a terrible crime. One I didn't commit. I know a fellow knight did it, framed me, and got away with it."

"I see." Eya replied. "You can tell me about it while we walk to the castle." She said, starting out with long strides mercilessly.

"Thank you, my lady. I cannot thank you enough." He replied.

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The king shuffled around some papers. He was angry and sad. His wife, precious wife, had died. Saddening. But she had been so rude as to not take him! Now, he was forced to deal with double-grief. _Plus_, his daughter-in-law refused to come out of her room, crying when she was awake, crying when she was asleep. He'd never seen anyone so broken down.

A light knock on the room roused him from his sorrow. "Come in," He muttered.

Captain David, his son's Captain of the Guard, entered the room, holding a piece of parchment. "Your Majesty, I took the liberty of writing a speech for you to present to the people of Calain. If I may, we might have to coerce Princess Lilka from her rooms. She must be present for the speech, it is only customary." The young Captain said.

"Aye, Captain David." The king replied. "She will have to leave her rooms."

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At the precise moment, Lilka was sleeping in her rooms. Lying curled up like a scared kitten with her handmaiden to watch over her. The princess had managed to block the servant's doors and her main door. Kiera rubbed the princess' back trying to keep the princess' ever-present nightmares from waking her.

Lilka slept, but not peacefully. She would close her eyes, and sleep. Instead of true sleep, she saw her past.

_She opened her eyes to see Brian, still wet from the lake, leaning over her, concerned. He smiled and touched her cheek. Lilka leaned up and they shared their first kiss, one that taken courage of both people's parts to manage._

_Lilka saw Brian's face when she stormed into the church aisle-way. He had been relieved. She saw his face when they were wed, the second kiss they shared. She saw his loving face after the wedding._

_She remembered how she woke every morning, loving the sensation of waking up loved and cherished. She remembered him walking into their rooms, a happy jump to his step._

_She remembered._

All too often, Lilka woke, her heart wanting to see him next to her, to tell her it was a bad dream. It was a fear conjured by her mind. She wanted to hear his voice.

This would only make the broken princess cry harder, longer and eat less. Kiera had to force the princess to eat.

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Captain David was back at his temporary desk. He was moving it further from the princess' rooms to keep suspicion away. He sat at his desk, thinking hard. How long ago had he saved Brian's life? When did the prince tame his first horse? When did the prince escape with David to play in the fields to escape boring lectures? When did the prince protect David from whippings because of Brian's escapades?

Everything was tumbling out of the Captain's control. And fast. First, it had been Lilka's disappearance, then Brian's kidnapping, the news of his death, then the queen's death. Everything was falling apart and David didn't like it one bit.

A light knock disrupted his work. Who'd be calling near midnight? He wondered. He breathed deeply and stood to get the door. It opened just before he placed his hand on the handle. His cousin stood in the door with a scraggly-bearded man. She cocked her head and he allowed her entry. The man followed.

"Hey coz," Eya greeted. She gave him a hug and turned to the man. "This is Sir Gaeven."

"And this explains you being up at midnight?" He asked. He didn't need a response.

"It does," She replied. "He demands to be a guard here at the castle, not that I trust him. I leave him in your care, coz. Have fun!" She said sourly. She opened the door and left, pausing quietly at the door to hear.

She heard the voices. "Name?" A hard thing, again, hit her head. He last thought was, _great. Not again!_

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Lilka cried desperately now.She'd do anything, anything, that'd take this grief! She felt abandoned. The Goddess had left her to this desolate life. She was only a toy for her amusement! The princess turned over in the bed, draping an arm protectively over the poor child that was hers. That child who'd never know her father.

She slept fitfully. Every dream was focused on the loss of Brian. Kiera was gone to get food. A beam of moonlight streamed through an open window. One would've been scared, had anyone been around to witness it. The light seemed to solidify right there, swirling around to encompass a woman dressed in warrior garb. She embodied all that was motherly and great. The perfect woman, beautiful, smart, intelligent, walked over, her feet never touching the scarred ground. She reached out behind her, grasping some of the moonlight. She held it in her hand like a plaything.

The woman reached out to caress Lilka's cheek. "Sleep well, my daughter," She whispered. "Your pain is only the beginning of something great." She blew the moonlight onto the sleeping mother's face. "You are released from your pact, daughter. Sleep well and wake tomorrow." She blessed. Lightly, she traced the sign of the Amazons, a spear, a bow and a shoe with a shaft of light behind it, on the princess' forehead. Where her finger traced, a small beam on light followed. The Goddess walked back to the moonlight and disappeared in the same manner she had come, mysteriously. The only evidence of her presence was the fast-fading lines on Lilka's forehead and the locket around Lilka's neck, it too shone with an ethereal glow.

When Kiera reentered the room, she saw the bare lines of where Lilka had been touched. Deciding it was her mind playing tricks on her, Kiera brushed the princess' forehead, and they disappeared without any sign they had ever been.


	14. Sir Gaeven and the Dream

**Nixiesocean: Um… nothing to say… read and review, bitte!**

**_simplegrl007_: It may be… I'm not saying anything, though you may hate me after this chappie…**

**_Peachy-me-keen1591_: I'm going! I'm going! (Dodges rotten fruit and veggies while jumping around to avoid a whip)**

**_An angel on Ice_: Yay! I love brilliant chapters!**

**_Kaity_: Oh! It's up! Yay! My writing is fabulous? Danke! (_Rush of Waves_ glares at _Nixiesocean_) Fine, fine! Thanks!**

**Read and review, _please_!**

_Chapter 14: Sir Gaeven and the Dream_

I awoke the next day in a better mood than all the past days combined. I knew I shouldn't be so happy; my daughter wouldn't have a father. I leaned out my window, smelling the fresh morning air. The Amazons were training below my window. One of the junior instructors, Eya was absent, stopped the girls and they waved at me. A small smile escaped. I waved back. I went back inside. Kiera was gone again, I didn't ask nor wonder; she'd be back.

I heard two male voices outside my room. Captain David's and another, unfamiliar voice. "The king wants her to come out today, she doesn't know you, and so it's likely she'll trust you more."

"Or less." The man added dourly. "I would be."

"She'll be fine. Her handmaiden told me she woke in a good mood." I sighed. Kiera, the little gossip! That's where she had been! "Go on in, Kiera said she was awake."

The door opened and I pretended to be surprised. He had a silvery scar running from the middle of his cheek to just above the line where it'd insect with his lip. It couldn't be more than an inch or so. I smiled.

"Good morning, sir." I said in _Fr'ain_.

"The Captain said you were in a good mood." He replied conversationally. "Is there anything you want?" He paused before adding, "Your majesty."

_Yes_. My heart said. _My husband_. My mouth spoke something separate. "No, I'm fine. There's water if you'd like some. I don't drink alcohol."

"Aye, your majesty, It changes one's behavior far too much for me to have it. I never was one for alcohol." I couldn't admit I had loved drinking wine with B_-him_.

"It seems we'll get along well. Please, take a seat." He seemed uncomfortable. "Call me Lilka, it suits me better now."

"Lilka," He said. "A beautiful name, if I may say so."

"And I'm beautiful no longer. Sleepless nights take their toll, good sir." I replied. I bugged me for some reason he was complimenting me.

He smacked his forehead. "Forgive me, Princess Lilka, I've forgotten my manners!" He held out his hand. "I am Sir Gaeven."

"Well met, Sir Gaeven." I said, shaking his hand. In a moment of curiosity, I turned it over. There was a small bruise on his palm. "And what is this?" I asked.

"I," He paused. "The hilt of my sword, Lilka."

He was uncomfortable about the topic, I could tell. "I'm sorry to hear that, perhaps you could check with the infirmary, if you tell them Princess Lilka sent you, they'll give you an ointment for that." I tapped the bruise lightly. "But now, a game of Checkers."

"Aye, Lilka, Checkers would be lovely." There was something else on his mind. Lilka, who normally was good at divining one's intentions, was at a loss. Sir Gaeven was different from everyone else. He was uncomfortable being around her, that she could tell. Many knights had clambered to be near her.

He lost. Even in a state of disarray, she won. "Lilka, if I may interrupt, the king requested we leave these rooms." He said politely. "Maybe the gardens?"

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David sighed. Gaeven led the princess out to the gardens. He had coerced her out of her rooms, as the Captain had hoped. Far quicker, in fact. He drew away from the window, in just enough time to see the princess' Amazon-friend lean out across the balcony. She sighed heavily and stared across the rooftops and out over the sea.

He walked to her rooms. He had some questions he wanted answers for. His being there could only destroy his rep, not hers. The court women ignored, after her pre-marriage pregnancy was discovered, not that Kayla cared much. She had the same indifference Lilka had had with the court women when she was Brian's servant. They either plain didn't care or they hid their true feelings well, something Lilka wasn't all that good at.

He knocked lightly on the doors. Kayla came to the door. "Captain David?" She asked, surprised.

"I wanted to ask you some questions, to get to know the princess' mind better." He replied. She nodded.

"So long as this isn't an attempt to woo her, I won't allow it." She said.

"It isn't, I swear." The Captain spoke in a confident tone.

"Good, come in. You sure the "ladies" won't care?" She queried.

"The talked enough when I came back with the princess. I'm fine."

"Excellent, come on in." Captain David entered.

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They went outside, Kayla found the seas soothing. Kayla looked longingly over the balcony, Captain David stood beside her. The daytime shone brightly over their heads and the sea was evident when one looked the same way as Kayla. "Were you and her friends?" He asked her.

"Yes," She replied. "We still are."

"Where are you two from? I know you're Amazons, the prince never told me where he picked up such precious cargo." He said dreamily.

"Why are you so interested in Lilka and I? We're nothing special. We're Amazons." Kayla looked at Captain David.

"No." He replied. "You're the first Amazons to cross that sea in over two hundred years-"

"Since the Ancient Amazons, I know." She answered sullenly. "Think, if we had stayed there, Lilka would be pregnant, like me, and the child would never know her father."

"What happens when a boy is born?" He asked, suddenly interested.

"They aren't." She said quietly. "The first Amazons made a pact with the Great Warrior Goddess. They would bear only women if the Great Warrior Goddess protected their Isle from the ways of men at sea."

"You know your lore well, Kayla." He complimented.

"It always was my favorite subject, Captain." She said indifferently.

"That's good." He said. "Lilka is out walking around you know." The Captain informed the Amazon. She smiled.

"I had hoped she would. The air is refreshing. She seemed so broken down, more so than any other time. Even when I was mean to her, she bore it with dignity. She must've really liked him, to cry like this." Kayla commented.

David blinked. "You were mean to her? How bad?"

"In essence, I called her some bad names and slandered her values." Kayla said shortly. "She forgave me, luckily."

"How'd you get here?" He asked. "It doesn't seem likely you would've gotten here of the sailors free will, considering that women are considered bad luck on ships."

"I snuck on, I'll tell you flatly, I'll never eat another fish again." She laughed. It was a sound David's ears hadn't heard in a long time. He hadn't laughed since he had brought Lilka back. "They smell!"

David found it easy to smile in this woman's presence. "So, they never knew you were on the ship?"

"No, and what daring it took!" She grinned, and then it fell from her face. "I, unfortunately, didn't have Lilka's morals."

"What do you mean?" He asked. "Not having her morals."

She smirked. "If you think I'm an innocent maiden that was taken advantage of, you're sorely mistaken, Captain, I entered that bed willingly and I regret it greatly." David couldn't comprehend such a statement. Everyone had assumed she _had_ been taken advantage of, not the reverse. She had ruined her own virtue.

"I- I'm sorry." He replied.

"You don't have to be." She said. "My daughter will be fine, I've lived without a father, haven't I?"

"Your daughter. Does that mean Lilka's child will be female also?" He asked, forgetting the question he'd asked earlier.

"Yes, Captain, it will be. I'm sorry." She said.

"It's, it's not for me." He muttered. "I was hoping Lilka would have a little Brian or something like it. It isn't fair to her, I suppose."

_How tell him?_ Kayla thought. "Why wouldn't it be fair? I'd think it better for her to have a boy."

This time, it was Captain David who smirked. "I thought I'd remind her of her loss, not vise-versa."

"For all we know, maybe the Goddess has her eye on her daughter. She may have some good luck at last."

They both looked out toward the gardens. Lilka was sitting next to a fountain, laughing and playing like her old self. Maybe this Sir Gaeven is a good influence.

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Sera paced the now-repaired floorboards in one of her many studies. Brian, her last hope for power, was dead. It was well and good that the country was in disarray, but it didn't help that the mother had died. The queen had always been nice to the once-lady. But, she had gotten too involved and died.

If Sera killed off Lilka, the pesky thing she was, now, the country would have a headhunt for her. Not that they weren't now…

"Damn it all!" She cursed aloud. Why did that damn servant have to fall asleep? Was this supposed to be _funny_? It ruined all her carefully laid plans! "Bloody hell," She yelled. "Is this some sort of damn joke?"

No one answered. Sera had half-expected someone to come in and tell her Brian was found, alive, starving someplace.

No one did. In fact, most glared at her.

She hadn't been allowed into Brian's old room. The servants refused to allow it until it was cleaned up. None of her close spies could either; it was heavily guarded. It wasn't likely Brian was alive in it though; the fire had been on his part of the manor. And a damn hot fire it had been!

Then, a week or two after the fire, a messenger arrived. The word was happily bubbling from his lips, despite how angry it made Lady Sera.

Lilka was out, moving around and happy again.

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Sir Gaeven played in the water. I looked back at him. How easy a smile came to my lips around him! I still wore black, but I laughed. I felt like I had betrayed my dead husband. How could I laugh while he was dead? I sighed and shook my head. It had been a month. A month of the knight's company and I still knew as little about him as the day we first met.

"What was the Isle like?" He asked.

"Rough," I laughed. "Tough."

"Does this life seem easy compared to it?"

"Is that rhetorical?" I replied easily. "I don't have to cook my own food, kill it, whatever. I don't do drills everyday and there's no preparing for yearly competitions!"

He sighed. "At least not for women."

"For _normal_ women." I corrected. "My Amazons are practicing every day. No one's left yet."

"What are they training for?" He asked.

"I don't know, really, five or so will become my personal guards. My Captain I've already chosen."

"I'm guessing the Captain's cousin. Eya of Wayan. She's dedicated." He guessed.

"How _ever_ did you guess?" I mocked.

Around Sir Gaeven, I even forgot Sera's troubles. I never forgot what trouble she _had_ caused, however. I carried around these sorrows in my heart.

Two months later, Kayla went into labor. I was there next to her, comforting her and allowing her to squeeze my hand. Blood was everywhere, but Kayla held onto life easily. A beautiful girl was born. She was identical to Kayla and bore no resemblance to her missing father. She and Kayla were washed and Kayla held her newborn.

"She's beautiful, Kay." I commented, holding her small fingers. "What's her name?"

"Brea." She said, kissing the baby's forehead. "Brea, my sweet little child." Instantly, Kayla was thrown into motherhood. She bore it well, nursing her child and lavishing love onto the new baby.

"What have you thought of having children, Sir Gaeven?" I asked one day after the birth.

"An odd question, Lilka." He replied. "And yes, I have. I would love to have a baby boy, like any father. No woman would take me, though." He added sadly.

"Why?" I requested. _I would if I wasn't a widow!_ I was horrified by the thought. Where was my love of Brian? The hurt? It was there, but there was a new fire, one produced by this knight. I was uncertain about it.

I had been in love… hadn't I?


	15. The Children

**Nixiesocean: Hullo again! Welcome back to the Isle of the Amazons, and here I am, updating my wondrous story! It'll prolly last another, one to two chappies (including an epilogue). (Sigh) I love this story so much...**

**Respones:**

**_Traceykiwilee_: Danke schön. Mucho.**

**_Simplegrl007_: Is that so? Hmm… an interesting thought. Sir Gaeven, I don't know where to place him either. He's, well, oh, I don't know. _If_ Sir Gaeven _was_ Brian in disguise, then I'd think it plausible that he wouldn't tell her just yet. In any case, she's very vulnerable, being six or so months into her pregnancy. Six months is enough to be annoying. I assure you, however, that Lilka _is_ the Amazons David was told about. After all, the second or so line of the chant said _'She will enchant your prince'_. Kayla and Brian had no attraction toward each other.**

**_An angel on ice_: _Your_ Brian? If anything he's _my_ Brian. _Mine_! Bwhahahaaha! Anyways, Lilka is only _thinking_ about Sir Gaeven in a romantic way.**

**_hazeleyedbeauty_: (Big grin). I love putting readers through emotional distress. Have fun reading!**

**_Kaity_: The deal with Sir Gaeven: A disgraced knight, found by Eya, returned to the capital by Eya. Has inklings for Lilka.**

**Is he staying? Yes.**

**Is there something going on? Yes.**

**Is Lilka happy about having Brian's child: Yes and no. She's happy to have his child, being that he's dead, but also feels restricted and vulnerable.**

**And will Kayla stay or back to the Isle with her baby? She'll stay. The Isle would feel disgraced. Anyways, they'll end up coming out of hiding soon anyways.**

**And what did the Goddess mean when she came in and spoke to Lilka? I know, the Goddess knows and Lilka is ignorant. So, you make up your mind. Since when have gods been straightforward?**

**End responses.**

**Hehe. Read and Review!**

_Chapter 15: The Children_

I shook my head. I _had_ been in love. I _was_ in love with Brian. He was alive, in my heart. I knew it. I stood. "I'm sorry, Sir Gaeven, my, head, hurts." I lied. He must've seen it, but allowed me to leave.

I practically sprinted to my rooms. Had I not had a decently sized belly, I might've flung myself onto the bed to cry my heart out. I didn't. I walked slowly toward my bed, stunned. I thought hard. Had I been in love? Was I in love? Did I just need a male figure to help me?

Kayla came to my rescue. She knocked lightly on the door. "Lilka?" She asked. I smiled and opened the door. She held little Brea. I touched her sleeping forehead. "Is something wrong?"

"Aye, my friend." I said. We, again, spoke in our language. "I- I'm not sure whether I'm in love or not, Kayla. I still hurt for Brian, but Sir Gaeven, oh, Goddess, I don't know!"

She patted my shoulder. "Lilka, I'm not an expert on love, no one is. But, I would say follow your heart. After all, I'm just a fatherless mother." She smiled. "Is there anything else?"

"No, Kay." I mumbled. I touched my belly. "Three months," I said. "Three months." She left me there.

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In a month, we got reports of unrest in western Calain. Troops were sent out to figure out the source of the problem, and of course, the first to volunteer, the Amazons, newly trained and expert swordswomen and archers. Eya, the leader of the Amazons below Kiera, went along. She was just as well trained. It was hard-drilled into these women that they were, under _no_ circumstances, to take up an occupied bed. If so, they'd she shamed, in an Amazon-style way, and sent from their midst. Of course, the remaining thirty women were faithful to their vow.

Kiera made the option to stay behind and keep her princess company.

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We made little use of our horses, pushing them when the need arose. The men, unlike us, took too many things to move quickly. They had horse-drawn wagons loaded with heavy things such as beds and chests for their officers. We used light tents and no mattress. Mostly, our women slept on the floor, or the thinly padded wooden beds. It prepared us for the ground.

I rode my horse, Fura. Fura was a ruddy brown, hence her name. Fire. I heard no complaints about the long ride. It made me smile the men would complain. My women were faithful to the core and interdependent.

We arrived in the assigned town bearing the symbol of the Amazons and the royal crest. Rivercreek, a redundant name, I noticed. I laughed internally. Men were idiots when it came to names. I called to the guards.

"Open the gates! By order of the royal family!" I yelled.

One looked down and scoffed. "We'll not open the gates for a group of tramps and tavern wenches!"

I smiled serenely. Some women were growing irritated. "If we are a group of tramps and wenches, that must mean you two are flea-bitten dogs!"

The one that had insulted us leaned out to spit. "We support this revolution, and you'll not stop it, _whores_."

I pulled out my longbow. It would take two men to string this monster, the way they strung their bows, but all Amazons of our sort could draw one with ease. We _knew_ how to string it, and it wasn't a normal way to string the bow. It was already tied at one end. On the other, there was a small notch, to pull the string onto. The bow was flexible when bent a certain way, any other, and it was hard as oak or ash.

I strung it and drew an arrow, faster than the man could release spittle. I fired with deadly accuracy. It struck the offending man in the sleeve, pinning him over the battlements. He struggled to even break the arrow. It was made of sycamore with an iron head. "You'll let us in, dogs, and you'll let us in _now_!" My Amazons had already drawn, strung and had arrows notched, waiting for either man to refuse.

The gates opened. It was our first victory.

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I sat tightly in my chair. Sir Gaeven was sitting next to me. I smiled. "I've heard the Amazons successfully got into the rebellious city."

"That quick?" He asked, surprised. "Which city?"

"I'm not sure, it's rumored that it's where Sera's manor is." I replied indifferently. Gaeven attempted to suppress his surprise, but failed. I took note to ask him later, at a weaker time.

"I'm surprised how quick they arrived, though," He said mildly.

"Women pack light." I winked. "Non-noble, that is."

"Did they run the whole way?"

"No," I said. "That would be impractical, although plausible."

"Oh?" Gaeven asked. "Plausible, you say. The men can double-time march at least twenty miles a day."

"Exactly," I agreed. "The Amazons don't use rigid lines. We fight independently. It's how they confuse attackers."

"Is that so?" He asked, grinning.

"Yes." I acknowledged. "Men use straight lines, very impractical. We Amazons scatter when the enemy charged, attacking the flanks and rear."

"Weak spots you mean."

"Aye, Sir Knight. Weak spots. Less casualties."

He shook his head. "That logic doesn't fit with ours, the mainlanders."

"Mainlanders, I like the term, better than _Fr'ain_." I commented.

"Frane?"

"_Fr'ain_." I corrected gently.

"Ah," he mumbled. "I get it." He looked me directly in the eye. Something in those eyes made me look away uncomfortably. "Is that the name the Amazons gave us mainlanders?"

"Yes." I said. "And we play a game similar to checkers, _Pui e Pui_." The memory hurt to think of, the first day _him_ and I played the game. Now, I was sharing it with this knight… I wondered where my mind was taking me.

"Phwey ei phwey?" He laughed.

"No, _Pui e Pui_." I corrected. "Raise your tongue and close the lips around your mouth."

"_Pue i Pue_." He replied. "That's an interesting sound, Lilka." I smiled. "It sounds like old Common."

"It probably is." I agreed. "After all, _Pui e Pui_ is much like checkers."

"How intriguing." He said to himself. "How do you say it, phwey ei phwey?"

"_Pui e Pui_." I smiled. He tried to say it again. I held my hand out and pushed his lips together, I laughed. "You look like a fish!"

He looked at me oddly. "Royalty don't normally make such intimate contact."

I hung my head. "I submit, Sir Knight. I admit, I'm not royalty. I'm a common-born Amazon."

Sir Gaeven smiled. "You're no common Amazon, Lilka."

"Thank you, I think." I mumbled.

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Kiera leaned up against the wall. "So, you're telling me that my Amazons are as good as any other troop of men you have?"

"Yes, Kiera. Only better. They're women. Men tend to think of women as dumb." Captain David replied. "Of course, since I've met Lilka, I've known better than to assume that."

"Of _course_. Anyways, what did your spy say?"

"I've told you once, need I say it again? Someone may hear it. My room isn't perfectly sound-proof."

"Tell me, I want to hear it. I want to make sure I didn't hear wrong."

"Which part?"

"The first."

"What? That Sera is the leader of the rebellion?"

"Yes. I'll need to inform my lady."

Kiera ran off. In the end, she decided not to tell Lilka. Lilka was busy as is.

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Lilka, in three months, went into labor. Most everyone was there, three midwives, a royal physician, Kiera and Kayla. Brea was being taken care of by the recently returned Eya. Lilka was breathing heavily. She held Kayla's hands. She squeezed hard as she gave birth to a beautiful girl.

Then, the Head Midwife made a startling discovery. There was another child yet. Lilka would give birth to two twins! Everyone was extraordinarily pleased. To Lilka's, and Kayla's surprise, the second baby was a boy.

Lilka held her two newborns. She looked at Kayla. Kayla shrugged. "Maybe the Goddess likes you, Lilka. You always were more adept at anything."

"But- a boy? I'm an Amazon!" Lilka said, eyes wide.

"Maybe Kiera knows something." Kayla said, looking at Kiera. "She looks suspicious."

Kiera hung her head. "I came in one night," She began. "Your locket, the one you wear, was softly glowing. I thought it was my mind. Also, your forehead, it was glowly dimly. I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me. Apparently not."

"Oh, Goddess." Lilka said. "Tell me it was the Amazons' symbol."

"I- I think so."

Lilka let her head fall. "Goddess almighty! Thank you!"

Kiera was confused. Kayla grinned and nudged her friend. "Got any names planned?"

Lilka's smile faded. She gave a midwife the boy. "Brian." She said hoarsely. "He'll be his father's son." She cuddled the girl close to her breasts. "And, dear Crei."

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I knocked gently on the doors to my mistress' rooms. I heard voices, one Lilka's, the other Sir Gaeven. I kneeled down and listened intently.

"I- I'm sorry, Gaeven, I can't." Lilka said; she was practically in tears. I could tell by the way she stumbled over her non-native language.

"Why?" Gaeven asked. "You're a widow, you're allowed to remarry."

"No," Lilka wept. "I can't. I'm- Brian- I'm sorry." I heard Lilka stumble around the room. I was surprised. Lilka, in her distress, had spoken her dead husband's name.

"You're loyal to a dead man, Lilka? That's- Why?" Gaeven asked, confused.

"I- I love him, Gaeven, I can't just abandon that! I have two children. I can't have a new husband, Brian was the one, and I can't abandon that." There! It was there again. What had changed inside Lilka? Was it her children?

"You're loyal, Lilka. Loyal beyond anyone could ask for." Gaeven whispered quietly. "Please, just-"

"I CAN'T!" Lilka screamed. "I've told you, I loved Brian. No matter what I feel for you, Gaeven, I'm loyal to Brian, and Brian alone."

Gaeven's tone changed. "It's a good thing I'm home then, isn't it?"


	16. Dreams

**Nixiesocean: My last, and sadly, final chapter.**

**_Rush of Waves_: Umm… that _was_ Brian. Don't worry, it'll make sense. Read and enjoy!**

**_simplegrl007_: That is explained. Read.**

**_An Angel on ice_: Oh, I know. I love it, don't you?**

**_Elleoire_: What happens next? Well, _Dreams_ happens next!**

**_Tracykiwilee_: Umm… yep. It's him all right.**

**Read, review, weep, cry do whatever you feel like. Have fun, review and I may get the sequel up soon. (If there is one).**

_Chapter 16: Dreams_

The tumult of emotions that enveloped me was unbearable. First, an explosion of relief in my mind, second, a blast of anger, after all, he _had_ lied to me, thirdly, a surge of happiness. But, my mind couldn't process this in time. My mouth spoke before my brain could sort out all the emotions. "What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

Sir Gaeven, Brian, whoever the man was, pulled me into a hug. My body was too busy to notice. "I said, _'It's a good thing, then, that I'm home'_." He whispered. I wept, right into his shirt. "Lilka," He said, rubbing my back gently. "Lilka, Lilka." The sound lulled me into a normal state of mind.

I pulled out of his grasp, fumbling to step backwards. "You," I whispered. "You're- the messenger- Kiera," Too many words tried to escape. I fought off the urge to faint.

"Lilka," He drew closer. I stepped backwards. "Please, Lilka, I'm home."

My brain couldn't process the words. I screamed. "Stop it! You're taunting my heart, flaunting like a prize! Stop!"

He stopped, perfectly still. I breathed deeply. I tried to gain my composure. He spoke softly, as if not wanting to hurt me. "I'm home, please, it took me forever to get home."

"No," I said. "No- the messenger. The messenger said you were dead. This isn't B-"

"It _is_ I." He said reverently. "Don't you recognize me?"

This time, enchanted, I closed the distance. The silvery scar was still there, but the faint traces of his face, my husband's face. Why hadn't I seen it before.

_"Simple,"_ A motherly voice whispered inside my head. _"You didn't _want_ to see it. Your mind did the rest."_

I shook my head. Now, I shook with rage. "Where _were_ you? WHERE WERE YOU?" I wept in anger. I leaned over, crying with fury. "You were gone, gone when I needed you most! Now, you come back, whispering hopeful words, _where were you?_"

He looked me dead in the eye, a hand on my back. "I was locked up with a stone, Lilka, but -Goddess strike me dead if I'm lying- I tried any way possible to get back to you."

"And, how was it, _ghost_, that you managed to find your way back?" I said, glaring back at him. My heart could never forgive this transgression, all that time, acting as a knight. He could've told me then, but no. He didn't.

"I escaped during a fire-"

"The one the servant said you died in." I commented dryly.

"Yes, Lilka, that same one." He said, trying by any means to get me to believe him. "I escaped during the fire. I ran, hard, I had already tried, a month or so after being captured. One of Sera's men captured me."

I wept. Nothing could console me. Then, I heard Brian's pitiful cry for food. I stood. "Excuse me, my son needs food."

Brian stiffened. "Son?" He looked relieved. "But the pact-"

"Supposedly the Goddess released me from it." I replied indifferently. "I'm surprised to didn't hear about my bearing a son." He stopped talking. "Continue your epic tale."

"During the months following, I had to get a horse to ride to the capital. I masqueraded as a knight. I was framed for a crime I shan't utter and sent away without even the horse I had bought. I was forced to walk here. Eya found me a mile or so from here, in the forest. You know the story from there." He concluded.

"Sounds intriguing." I muttered. "Now leave, I need to feed Brian."

I felt his hand clench my shoulder. "Brian?"

"My son. Crei will be in need of food soon as well, excuse me." She moved away, trying to get away.

He spun in front, searching my eyes. "Do you believe me? That it took me nearly six months to get here?"  
I looked him dead in the eye. "I believed Sir Gaeven. Now, look what happened. I was lied to by my husband!" I hissed. I didn't yell for fear of disturbing little Brian. "If I _recall_ correctly, spouses are supposed to be _truthful_ to one another!"

"Lilka, I did it for _your_ good. Imagine the danger you'd be in if Sera hadn't been taken care of before I told you. You'd be in more danger than you are now! Sera thinks me dead, and I wanted it that way until she was neutralized!"

I looked at him, deeper than eyes, into his soul. I felt him speak the truth. "Goddess, Brian," I whispered. My throat tightened. I fought back tears.

He took me into a hug, little Brian between us. "Shh, Lilka." He whispered. "I'm glad to be back." With that, my unstable emotions burst. I sobbed, _hard_.

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Days, maybe a week later, the two royals found themselves in a slumber. Lilka yawned. She snuggled closer into the pocket that Brian had made for her. He wrapped his arms around her lithe body. She smiled groggily and succumbed quickly to sleep.

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Lilka opened her eyes. Brian was gone! Where was he? What about little Crei? She took in her surroundings. The simple walls, the hard bed… everything. It jogged free a memory. Where was she? Then she saw a face peering over her.

"Lilka?" The face asked. "Oh, good! You're awake!" It took her brain a while to process the language the person was speaking in… She recognized the face: Kayla. "Did Mari hit you too hard?"

"Ugh…" Lilka muttered. Why was she back on the Isle? "How long was I out?"

"Three days." Kayla responded. "We've been pouring broth down the reluctant throat of yours!" Where was Brian? Where was the royal bedchamber? Where, in fact, was her son and daughter? She looked next to the bed where little Brian and Crei normally slept. He was gone!

She shook her head gently. Her hair tumbled down across her face. Had it all been a dream? All of it? The slavery felt real, those terrible times she wished she could wake up from the nightmare. Had they all been dreams?

That was when both women heard a bell tolling, one with a silvery sound. One they had never heard.

_The End_

**Nixiesocean: Okay, so, um, I'm sorry for leaving it as a cliffie. Plans have changed: There will not be an epilogue. Sorry! Anyways, I have plans for a sequel, but they're not solid and I have to focus on finishing up _Lady-in-Shining-Armor_ and _The Fatal Mistake_ along with working on _The World of Royalty._**


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